Buried History
by Ruthie Smith
Summary: Nearly seventeen years after the events of 'Trial by Fire', Maddy has returned to haunt the pack- in an unexpected way, bringing the ghost of the buried past to the surface again. Now Katie and the others have to resolve it before it brings other issues to light...but have they already appeared?
1. The Run

The sky overhead was midnight black- apt, considering that it was actually midnight- as I made my way through the knee-high grass to the Clearing. Grass tickled my shins and scraped at my bare feet as I wended through the fronds, but they weren't important. All that was important was the change that I could feel thrumming in my veins right now; the need to turn wolf that had been burning in my blood all day and had intensified all night. I glanced up at the moon, and it was a perfect shade of snow white- pristine, and deadly, I suppose. It pretty much dictated our lives, especially now. I didn't know why, though Chase- the scientist- had several theories, but at the moment, I couldn't really bring myself to care.

The grass gave way to trees and spongy pine-needles that prickled uncomfortably, and at last I gave myself to running, zipping faster than the eye could follow through the trunks and leaves, relishing the freedom running like liquid silver through my veins. And at last- there it was. The Clearing, and my pack, waiting impatiently, turned silver in the moonlight.

_Katie! _Several voices touched minds with me- Alex, Lily, Lake, James. I smiled eagerly; my canines sharpened and I took my place next to my brother, who bumped shoulders affectionately with me. He smelled like the rest of the pack- pine needles and fir and something uniquely Alex- the smell of fresh grass and lemon soap. The smell of home.

_Are you okay? _He asked, concerned.

_I'm fine- just Mum holding me up. _Ali, our mum, was all human and didn't really understand the call of the pack, which often led to arguments and frustration, especially at the full moon.

_Pack! _A sharp voice cut through the air and everyone's heads turned instinctively at the sound of our Alpha and my older sister- Bryn. One wolf at the back whined- probably a cub on his first night out. The Cedar Ridge pack was huge now- in my eyes, anyway, 50 of us all gathered together. But almost everyone else was deadly quiet, eyes fixed on Bryn, and, indirectly, on Chase, her mate who stood so close he was like a second shadow. I shook my head. _Love. _Those two could be unbearably soppy.

Right now, though, Bryn wasn't soppy at all- she was as eager to get going as the rest of us. Brown eyes danced in the moonlight as she proclaimed the Run open using the traditional words. Her hand rested casually on her hip, where I knew that- underneath the shirt- the horrific scars most of the pack bore rested. I allowed myself to feel the tiniest glow of smugness that, although I was just the same as the rest of them, I didn't have the scars. Though I was very careful to hide that thought from the others.

But then I couldn't think anymore, because the words were over and the running was about to begin. I couldn't think anymore, I could only join in the pack's sensations- _excitement. Fear. Moon. Run. Shift._

With an elegant ripping fur flew outwards as Bryn shifted. The signal for the rest of us.

_Go! _

There was a moment of bone-meltingly, muscle shifting agonising pain, then I was wolf- I was _me- _ and the hunt was on.

We wove in and out of each other in a current of bodies, gliding and jumping and separating and joining. Alex's dark grey fur leapt out in front of me, and I sprang past him, coughing out a wolf laugh as the smell of Cedar Ridge and pine and fur and dew mingled as one in the air. We sped onwards, shadows apart from the noise we were making.

It was exhilarating.

It was perfect.

And then—a tearing sensation, a piercing pain so acute that I faltered, whimpering—

And I was human, lying gasping on the floor as the pack sped off into the distance, an excited panting that was getting further away from me. I was all alone.

For a few seconds, I was too stunned to think clearly.

What had happened?

Why was I human?

I didn't know why- all I knew was shock, and a sense of loss in some way.

I had always preferred my wolf form to my human one- it was a pack joke that if it wasn't for my mum's cooking, I'd probably go native. I had never taken it seriously before...but what if I couldn't change back?  
I was too frightened for the results to try to change. The moon's appeal had been replaced by a roiling nausea and it was all I could do to drag myself through the freezing night back the mile or so we'd run so effortlessly before and into bed. As I stepped quietly through the house in order to avoid waking my mum and Mitch, I realised I was shivering, and not just from the cold.

* * *

_Katie. Katie..._

There was a voice in my head.

_Katkin...wake up!_

Urgh... I struggled against velvety blanket of sleep, finally flicking my eyes open to reveal Alex's face an inch from mine, grey eyes twinkling down at me.

"Alex!" I'm ashamed to say it came out more like a scream, and Alex jerked backwards, pupils dilating wolfishly. "No...it's okay."

I sat up slowly, dimly registering I was in bed- in pyjamas, thankfully- and stared at my brother.

"What was that for?"

He grinned, and I could tell through my pack-sense that he was completely unrepentant, though worry also filtered through before his mind closed to me.

"Hey, little sis."

"Hardly little." The annoyance of being born less than a minute late. I offered a half-smile up at him, and then remembered the events of the previous night. My face went blank.

"About last night..." Alex stared down at me. He wasn't grinning anymore, but I could sense the worry again. "What happened? One minute you were there...the next, I couldn't sense you until I came home this morning."

"I..." I flailed in my head for an excuse. Alex was waiting, one eyebrow raised. Damn him. He wasn't going to know. Nobody was.

"I... crocked my knee. I couldn't run with you guys- it hurt too much- and by the time it healed you were gone. So...I went home." The lie slipped out of my mouth with surprising fluidity- wolves couldn't lie very well, as a rule- but years of living with each other meant that Alex knew better.

"Katkin..."

I bared my teeth at him in warning, not least because of my old nickname.  
"That's all that happened, Alex."

He hesitated- then nodded. "Okay. I'll keep schtum. But Katie- somebody will find out."

I knew that- I just wanted to put it off. Already I could feel other members of the pack pushing against my consciousness- most notably Bryn's and Ali's-but I shut myself off from them.

"Breakfast is in ten." Alex flashed a worried grin at me, and then disappeared.

I exhaled- I hadn't realised that I'd been holding my breath until then- then slumped backwards against the pillows. This was going to be tricky. The pack would want to know what happened- and then why it happened- but how could I tell them when I didn't even know myself?

Not wanting to think about the butterflies manifesting themselves in my stomach, I got ready quickly, slinging on clothes which were easy to take off in case I needed to go on patrol (If I could.), then beat it out of the house before mum could make an appearance.

Outside the sun straggled through the clouds in watery shafts, casting greyish light over the Cedar Ridge base. In the distance I could see the restaurant Mitch-Lake's father- owned, already packed with punters for the day. No doubt Lake would be hustling pool in there like the pro she was. And probably making a mint as well, knowing her.

My gaze flickered over the still, calm surface of the lake, reflecting the sky in shades of grey, and the rich vibrant forests. Looking at those- I was seized by a sudden urge-as I always was- to turn wolf, and run through the emerald leaves and overlapping shadows of the trees. I tensed- ready to try and shift, but-

"Katie!"

I turned slowly to look at Bryn- my big sister. Not really of course, having been taken in by Ali as an orphan, but she might as well have been- we were that close. Mahogany hair waved messily in the sunlight as she strode towards me.

I smiled- the word alpha didn't really apply to Bryn as far as I was concerned. Especially at moments like these, when Bryn looked so human, it was hard to take her seriously, if you didn't know about her awesome skill with knives.

"How are you?" She fell easily into line with me, heading for the meeting house. Alex must've had a word with her beforehand, because she didn't say a thing about whatever had happened last night.

"Same old, same old." Bryn grinned. "You'd think that the pack never slept- I had to try and help rescue Maria from a tree. Pups."

"I like Maria!"  
"Probably because she's so like you. I don't know how many romper suits you shredded, Katie..."

"Please. I'm sure Alex did too."

"I'm not joking- sometimes we had to wrap you up in blankets and stick a safety pin through it."

"Bryn!"

We fell easily into our normal relationship, bantering the whole way to the meeting house. Looking at her-looking at any of the older pack members- it was hard to believe that they were going on 35- though they didn't act like it. Weres aged much more slowly than normal people- and lived much longer too. Added to that, we were also much faster, stronger and hardier than mundanes.

I didn't see why they weren't lining up, begging to be turned.

At the meeting house the mood was a little more subdued, though not by much- Chase lounged against the back wall; back for once from one of his outskirt-patrol trips. Lake was there, bragging about how she'd conned a group of Weres out of what sounded like hundreds, and Devon was making fun of her behind her back.

"Hey guys!"

"Ah, the conquerors return." Devon spun round in a blur to focus on us, and put his hands together as if in prayer. "Didst thou slay any dragons, fair maidens? For that is my job."

"Only one- we saved you your dignity." I returned cheerfully, flinging myself into a seat, and then spotting a white envelope on the table. "Hey, look! Mail."

The sense of family-pack- was strong in the hut and there was no problem in relaxing, the only problem was what had happened yesterday. I shoved it to the back of my mind and avoided looking at Devon, concentrating on opening the envelope.

"_Bryn's_¸ fair maiden." Devon- faster than the eye could see- snatched it out of my hand and flicked it at Bryn.

"Devon!" I protested, teeth grinding together. Why was everything _Bryn's_? Yes she was alpha wolf but come on!

"Katie!" Lake took a break from her glory-fest to flash a mischievous grin at me.

"Come, ladies. Let's not fight over me!" Behind Devon, Chase snorted loudly.

"Fat chance, Dev." Bryn called absently from over the table as she drew the letter out of the envelope- then gasped, her expression slackening with shock. Alarm distinctly filtered through the pack-bond to all of us, and the effect it had was immediate.

Chase was at Bryn's side immediately, hands sliding onto her shoulders. Lake- and the children she'd been talking to- leapt to their feet; Devon did the same. Some people snarled; I think I was one of them, my canines sharpening in my mouth and grazing my lower lip. Tension knifed the air-something was threatening the alpha, and that threat had to be disposed of as quickly as possible.

"Bryn? Bryn, what is it?"

From my vantage point on the other side of the table, I saw Bryn take a deep breath, then sink back into her seat. "Guys...its okay. Really, it is."

I snorted loudly, displaying my scepticism, but then it got stuck in my throat and turned into a cough. Cheeks reddening I looked down, twisting my hair over and over until my blush subsided, but it seemed to relax the atmosphere, as Bryn chuckled. It sounded like a broken engine puttering to a halt- but it was a laugh, and it was followed soon after by Lake's- perfect- snort.

"Katie, you might need to work on your snorting before attempting to copy the master." Just to rub it in, Lake snorted again, then chuckled out a laugh.

"Yes- epic failure, Katie. If people copied _that_, they'd be putting Baby in the corner for a long time to come."

"Thanks, Devon." My sarcasm-something which I _was _pretty good at, incidentally- didn't seem to have any effect on him beyond making him flash a grin.

Though the atmosphere had eased slightly, the anxiety was still there in the tense lines ofbacks, shoulders and arms, so it wasn't really a surprise when the next question posed by Emilia- one of the pack member's daughters- was "What's the matter, then, Bryn?"

My older sister smiled and ruffled Emmy's tousled brown curls still further. "It's okay. Go on, scat."

She and her brother, Tom, lingered a little longer- perhaps in the hopes of finding out what was going on- then bounded out of the door. My wolf-hearing picked up the sound of 2 sets of shredding clothes as they left, and I wished I could follow them.

Once they were gone, Lake's expression turned fully serious, and she leaned forwards to meet our eyes.

"Go on, then. Bryn, what's wrong? Anything that Matilda can't handle?"

Chase rolled his eyes at the mention of Lake's favourite gun.

_It's just a letter..._ Our alpha said faintly, as if to herself. _But why now...so many years after it happened?_

Bryn didn't look 20 then. She could've been 200, and it frightened me, and I hated that.

I leaned over and flicked the letter out of her grasp, landing it face down on the table. Everyone's eyes swivelled to follow it and read the printed text.

_I know what you did to Lucas._

_You're a heartless killer, and your reward is coming._

_Justice will be done._


	2. The Patrol

**Just saying hi, people! Hope you enjoy- tell me your thoughts!**

For a moment- several moments- there was a stunned silence as everyone gazed at the letter, disbelief twisting through everyone's mind. I couldn't make any sense of it- who was Lucas? The letter seemed threatening but I had no idea what it was about, even. Feeling a strong urge to throw something- a pickup truck, maybe- I concentrated on what the other pack members were thinking, hoping they'd give me some clues.

Lake was pretty much thinking the same as Bryn had been- _why now? _

Chase was as inscrutable as always, though after some nifty probing I thought I could make out a thin, gaunt face, whip marks...curly hair...

I switched to Bryn, hoping to find out some more- it seemed Chase's brain said as little as his mouth- and picked up a strong feeling of regret. Then her mind closed with a _snap, _her face hardened and with a thrill of panic, I knew I'd been discovered.

_Get out, Katie. _

Her voice was hard; I recognised the alpha-tone when I heard it and knew that I was pretty much powerless against it.

I hated that.

"Who's Lucas?" I asked whilst edging-slowly- towards the door. "Why don't I know this? Who's the heartless killer?"

"OUT!" Thundered Bryn with an edge of what seemed like –panic? Couldn't be!- in her voice. I cowered against the wall and then practically sprinted for the door, taking care to bang Chase hard as I left, causing him to snarl- damn him and his irritating silence!

Once out, I breathed steadily to combat the heat rolling down my spine, taking comfort from the routine- in, out, in out- then crept slowly around the meeting house, flattening myself against the wall in order to try and hear what was going on. Bryn's power was smothering the hut like a blanket and it was hard to hear what was going on...

"Why can't she know?" That was Devon's voice, unusually serious, the first to speak.

"You know why, Devon." Lake snapped back; I imagined her tossing her honey-blond hair as she did so. "None of the kids know- that was probably the darkest moment in Cedar Ridge history."

Was it now? And why was I being called a kid?

"It'll save a lot of questions in the future."

"That doesn't matter now- our prerogative would have to be to find Madeline."

Madeline?

"Yes." That was Bryn again, a little weaker but still taking charge again. "We need to find Maddy- she cared most about Lucas, after all."

After that, the conversation switched to non-verbal and I couldn't hear or find out anymore- not without the risk of being discovered, anyway. Frustrated, feeling ready to scream, I pushed away from the door and crawled inconspicuously towards my house- before being knocked over by a bundle of pups romping through the yard.

_Let's play!_

And then, as they recognised me- _Katie! Katie! Come play!_

_Okay! _Anything to distract me from that irritatingly obscure bunch inside the meeting hut. I grinned, and then the familiar outwards ripping sensation came with relief. Scraps flew everywhere- and then I was on all fours again, breathing in the soft milky smell of pup.

_Ready?_

_Ready! _

I growled, and then sprang forward, cuffing them both gently and making them execute perfect somersaults on the soft turf. They, in return, leapt back and started chewing my tail. I let them. I was wolf, and the world was comfortingly simple again.

* * *

After having been thoroughly eaten by Emmy, Tom and Mark, I changed back into human form and found Lily coming back from patrol, easily distinguishable through her reddish hair. _Lily! _Running towards her, I almost succeeded in knocking her over, before she recovered and gave a few playful swipes. She smelled of pine forest, and lemon soap.

Hang on a minute...Lemon soap? That made me suspicious. You didn't find any _lemon soap_ on Cedar Ridge except...

'Have you been with Alex?'

Lily looked sheepish, and hesitantly ran her fingers through her vibrant red curls.

'Is something wrong? Has something happened? It's not his patrol day today...oh my god!'

_Katie, calm down! _Lily whined- or whatever the human equivalent was. _Nothing's wrong...as such._

'Nothing's wrong? Then why...'

It was only then, I'm ashamed to say, that the penny dropped.

_WHAT? Is this right- I mean, you and? No..._

She was years older than him! Three, at least! Oh my god! Wasn't there anyone on this godforsaken planet who didn't feel the urge to go all soppy and gooey over the first person available?

_Aaaaargh!_

Lily did the whining thing again, looking more scared than anything else. I could feel her emotions: a bizarre mix of happiness and anxiety.

_Calm down, Katie..._

_Yeah. Calm. Well... that's great!_

_You...think so?_

_Yes! Sure...it's great, I love Alex, I mean I love him to be happy!_ I had the feeling I was waffling but couldn't seem to stop talking. If a Were fell in love- seriously, I mean- then it was normally for life.

_Is it patrol time, Katie?_

Lily's voice was gentle and had the effect of shocking me out of what promised to be a never-ending stream of talk. It also had the effect of changing the subject.

_Yes. No. Yes..._ I groaned. _I'm with Devon_.

Not Devon.

_I'd better go._

_See you, Katie_. Lily smiled almost nervously- thanks to the pack bond, just about everyone knew my views on love. I could almost see her wolf-self cowering, but I smiled and waved as she left.

_Have a good time with Devon. _Was her parting shot.

_Will do._

I sighed and headed off towards the forest-I had a rucksack on my back to stash my extra clothes in _just in case _anyone saw me- especially those from other packs. I passed Mitch's restaurant on the way by, and the server, Dorothea, waved at me as I walked quickly by, looking as unruffled as usual. I waved back, allowing a grin to stretch my face. Dorothea always made me feel better.

I continued along the lake shore-line, kicking up splashes of water with every step that I took, allowing the coolness to soothe my feet. Why was it that I was always on patrol with _Devon_? And why had _Alex _inexplicably found _love_?

It wasn't like I wasn't _unaware _of love in the pack: most people were mated and had some soppy romance thing going on- Bryn and Chase practically never touched compared to some: Sophie and Dave for example. Alex and I had always grown up aware of that; I just hadn't thought that it would happen to Alex, of all people. The sight of most mushiness was enough to make me want to puke. Romance? No thank you!

I had just assumed, I thought angrily, kicking up a spray of water with particular viciousness, that Alex thought the same. And I was wrong. Well, then.

In any case, most members of the pack were mated, save Devon, bachelor of the year- or the decade. As I hiked towards the emerald forest my thoughts turned to him, creating a quick thumbnail sketch.

Despite his sunny persona (hmm) he had never found anyone, despite- as Bryn said- his Calvin-Klein-modelling capabilities and size- he was bigger than Bryn, much bigger. Now I thought about it, he probably had a fairly good claim on the title of alpha. He was pure-wolf though- his mother had been a Were, too- I remembered that much. But like that made him any better than us. I wasn't sure what I thought about Devon- his general air of frilliness made him a source of ridicule- in my eyes, anyway. How had he become alpha's second?

The shoreline disappeared, swallowed up by the pungent smell and solid trunks of the forest. I hiked a couple of metres in – just to be sure that nobody would _see _–then set my rucksack down quickly and flumped next to it, causing a flurry of pine needles to leap into the air.

Watching the world go by was overrated, I thought after a few intensely boring minutes of watching bumblebees frolic joyfully in the air. Give me a good fight any day. As in sympathy to my irritation, both my earlobes twinged simultaneously and my hands leapt up to cover my ears, only to drop down again guiltily.

Ah, my earrings. The earrings that were something of a forbidden rule among the pack, on account of them causing infections due to rips, fights and our general state of wolfy uncleanliness. Earrings shifted with you, and were more trouble than they were worth anyway, especially as we healed so quickly. I only had one pair; a passing Were called Snake had done it for me- around a week ago actually. It was for free, and I loved bending the rules- something rebellious inside me had snapped, and here I was with throbbing ears.

Uneasily I glanced around- was someone watching me, observing my descent into rebelliousness? - and decided I'd better get ready.

Hastily stripping and shoving my clothes into my rucksack, I felt a moment of unease- could I do this? Then I shifted, fur rippling up my body as I fell to all fours.

Blinking a couple of times to dispel any post-change dizziness, I s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d luxuriously, then, overcome by a sudden itch, flopped down and rolled around vigorously on the floor, limbs waving. Aaah, that was better...just about there...

_Katie?_

_Eeep! _I almost died there on the spot. Flipping onto all four paws, I saw- to my intense embarrassment- Devon watching me, head cocked to one side. And as if that wasn't mortifying enough, a brindled wolf stood next to him, tongue lolling out in a wolfy grin. Oh my god- it was Mitch!

Flattening my ears against my head, I whined uncertainly. Way to go- embarrass myself in front of my patrol partner- check. Embarrass myself in front of my _foster-father_- check!

_Don't worry, Katie. _Mitch advised. _A good scratch makes everyone feel better. Just as well..._

He coughed out another laugh, and I sent him a rude image.

_Anyway_, he said hastily, getting to the point (my rude image must have done its work well). _Just here to brief you. Devon doesn't need it, of course..._

Of course.

_...But you do. Bryn has stated that you're to patrol the whole outskirts of Cedar Ridge, just in case of anything happening. Treat anything you see as an emergency- we're on high alert here, especially because of the letter Bryn received...be careful. Devon should be okay and you should be too, if you stick to the rules. NO high jinks, Katie._

I grumbled. He knew me well.

_I mean it_. Mitch was adamant. _You have a talent for getting yourself into trouble..._

_Too _well, if anything.

_I'd better go_, he said. Touching noses with me, he turned on his tail and left in a graceful- if slightly creaky- wolf lope. I stared after him. As much as I detested his trying to tell me what to do- I was _not _a child- I still loved him. My father didn't figure into the equation- it had been- how long? Nearly 3 years since I'd last seen him. I didn't really like to waste time thinking about him.

_Shall we get going, then?_ Devon intruding. My relationship with him was far from relaxed- we had a habit of winding each other up- me sometimes too much, considering the fact that he was the alpha's second.

_Yeah, alright. _I tensed for a moment- then sprang away, leaping up the ridge and digging claws into the soft loam. That showed him- but almost immediately he was at my side, and then overtaking. Why did he have to be so monstrously huge?

We bounded up the ridge at a speed that would've outstripped a cheetah, turning it into a race more than anything else. I tried to ignore all of my worries- not hard- letting the wolf take over, turning all of my dormant frustrations into energy. I needed it anyway, just to catch up with Devon.

Trees flashed by; the miles slipped past. We didn't speak, just exchanged images, showing the land from different perspectives. It was an effort to keep human thoughts in my head- but this was probably the only chance I'd get to find out _what was going on. _But then I had a brainwave- why not ask Devon about Lucas? He must know- he'd been with Bryn since the beginning.

Devon growled deep in his throat and I jumped- he obviously didn't like the direction my thoughts were taking me.

_Devon... _I tried, with some effort. It was hard forming human thoughts as a wolf.

_No, Katie. _

Damn it.

_Why not? Everyone knows; I don't. You did ask why I couldn't know...its pack business, and I am pack._

I thought my argument pretty good, to be honest.

_Bryn doesn't want anyone to know, Katie. It was a dark time for the pack...enemies everywhere. They still are everywhere- we're just better at dealing with them._

_So why can't I know?_

Overcome with frustration, I leapt forward and nipped at his heel; he turned around and snarled at me. I resisted the urge to cower, but only just.

_Tell me, Devon!_

_Katie. Drop it. Now._

With teeth bared and ferocity radiating off him, Devon was an awesome sight; it didn't hurt that he was humongous for a wolf, probably the biggest in the pack. Like all males, he had an inborn instinct to protect females. But I wasn't any female: I was Bryn's sister; I could hold my own in any fight. I needed to know what was going on, so I could protect the pack and the people that I loved.

I fought the urge to submit and shrink back and snarled, giving way to the wolf and the frustration and uncertainty inside me.

All at once, he was on top of me, pinning me down, almost half a tonne of muscle and fur. I shifted sideways, wriggling, then jerked my body upwards and flipped him backwards onto the ground. Adrenaline pulsed through me like a drug: I was ready for a fight, and he certainly seemed ready to give one.

We were wary now, both of us tracing a circle on the floor with our steps, seeking out a weakness. Then he snarled and leapt forwards¸ and I took the opportunity and snapped at his belly before leaping nimbly backwards. Emotions fought for supremacy: he was trying to assert his dominance and I was challenging him, the pack-bond causing us to see what the other was thinking.

The fight increased in tempo- snaps and snarls coupled with claws and growls. I dodged a biff from a paw and gave one in return, and he shoulder-rammed me backwards into the dirt. I looked up and snarled my defiance at him, and he hesitated.

I suddenly became aware of a dull ringing in my ears and my vision went blurry for a second. Then the piercing pain was in my bones, a howl that became a scream, and I was shivering on the forest floor with a huge wolf looming over me.

For a moment I was stunned and frightened, my head splitting and useless adrenaline surging through me.

Then I curled myself into a small ball on the pine needles and pressed my head into the dirt.


	3. The Facts

It was at least a few minutes before I raised my head from the forest floor, spitting dirt out of my mouth, and saw Devon standing next to me holding my rucksack in his hands- he must've run back for it (he must've run damn fast!). He had already Changed back and was dressed- thank goodness. Unsteadily I took the rucksack and crawled behind a tree to change, limbs shaking.

When I emerged- fully dressed, thank god- he was sitting on the roots of a soaring pine tree, expression serious for once, which was a blessing in itself. I don't think I could've handled a jolly persona at the moment. It was much easier to concentrate in human form though- as wolves we were ruled by basic instinct more than anything else.

"Katie." He said seriously, looking me full in the face. "What just happened there?"

I rubbed my face with my hands, leaving dirt smudges all over it, and flumped onto another root. I didn't think I could talk, so I used the pack-bond instead, sending him an image of us running through the forest and a picture of Bryn looking angry.

It didn't work.

"Bryn can wait. What happened back there?"  
"Oh, so now you can ignore Bryn?" I asked bitterly. I wished I had my knives with me; I felt like cutting up something.

"This is important." I raised my head and met his eyes; they were storm-grey and absolutely serious. I felt a strange quiver shudder through me, then sighed in defeat.

"I...I don't know what's been happening. It's only happened once- yesterday during the Run."

"Aah, so that's where you went."

"You noticed I was gone?" It was stupid, I know, but I felt absurdly pleased that at least one person had noticed my absence, even if it was Devon.

I shook myself mentally and continued, marshalling my thoughts carefully.

"It comes on suddenly- like one minute I'm fine and the next...I'm not. I can't think of anything that would bring it on. Silver? I'm not wearing any- I think I'd know otherwise. I dunno...but for the moment, I'm a freak."

"Silver would be a good one..." he said thoughtfully. Silver was toxic to most Weres- the half-blooded ones anyway. The person sitting in front- sadly- was not, however. Let him rub it in.

"I'm not laughing at you!" He said quickly, reading my expression. "I'm just trying to understand, and then we can help you."

Silence fell for a few moments, leaving both of us wrapped in our own thoughts. I could feel Alex's alarm from Cedar Ridge, and sent him a quick reassuring thought before he said anything to anyone. Getting things off your chest actually did help- it was surprising actually, but maybe that was just me. Maybe the faulty Changing issues were 'just me' too. Maybe I was alone, a freak just like I'd said. Would I have to leave the pack? My stomach lurched horribly at the thought.

"...do you want to know, then?"

Devon's voice filtered into my thoughts light sunlight through the canopy of leaves above us- slowly. "Wh-what?"

"I said I'd better tell you about Lucas."

"Oh?" Excitement throbbed through me suddenly, getting rid of the worries more effectively than anything else. Then suspicion followed, hot on its heels.

"And- why are you doing this now?"

Damn my stupid mouth! Why did it have to say something like that- he'd never tell me anything now!

But he just smiled.

"You've shared a worry- have one of mine. We'll go halves."

"That's a weird take on it."

"Isn't it just." He smiled- half bitterly and half gently. I suspected he was taking pity on me, and scowled inwardly. Then I waited for him to continue.

It took a while. It looked like Devon was gathering his thoughts- if that was the case, his brain must work at a snail's pace! I fidgeted impatiently on the ground, all thoughts of my plight (almost) banished completely from my mind.

"Lucas..." he began slowly, about a minute later. I leaned forward eagerly, anxious to hear.

"Lucas...was a Were, like us. He came from Shay's'- the word came out with a hint of growl "-pack. He found his way to Cedar Ridge- he had been tortured horribly- and wanted Bryn to take him in. Whatever the cost."

"And did she?" I was already fascinated, intrigued by the new side of pack history opening up in front of me. Would Bryn have done it? Surely she would have...

"Yes. But in the meantime our pack was almost destroyed by a coven of super-naturals and then by Shay's. Bryn saved us- and Lucas- but it was too late."

Devon's voice sharpened with a memory of bitterness. "For all that, Lucas was a trap...he wanted complete authority and challenged the alpha."

"He _did what_?"

Challenged the alpha? _Our _alpha? My pack-sense thrummed with outrage.

"Yeah, I know. But Bryn, she won..."

I could already see where this was going, and I didn't like what I saw. Was it possible? The only way to win a challenge, after all, was...

"She sent Lucas to sleep. Forever."

My Bryn? She'd always seemed so big-sisterly to me...not capable of murder like that. But the wolf in me that saw sense- any threat to the alpha had to be disposed of as soon as possible.

I tried to shake off the thought.

"So who's Maddy?"

"She was in the pack originally. She... fell in love...with Lucas. Then, when he died, she decided to leave. We don't know what happened to her. For all we know, she could've died herself."

"Wow."

"I know."

There was silence in the trees for a while, apart from the swishing of the wind. Both of us were wrapped up in our own thoughts- me, pondering the mystery of Lucas, and Devon...thinking about other things. There were only so many times that you could brood over a mystery that had happened when you were one, though, and finally, I'd had enough.

"Shall we carry on this race, then?"

Devon jumped and looked upwards, then smiled wickedly. With relief, I saw that he looked like the old Devon- the annoying, not-very-sincere one. "Baby, I could beat you any time."

I snorted. Then considered whether I could change. I was determined to try, though- I wasn't ever going to be seen as helpless!

"Give me a minute."

I darted behind the tree and stuffed my clothes into my rucksack. Then I took a deep breath- and with relief, the rippling pain spasmed through me and I fell to all fours. Maybe this thing was temperamental?

I took my pack in my teeth- no point in running back for it- and emerged from behind the tree to join Devon, and finish the patrol as quickly as possible.

On our way back, I dropped the pack next to the wooden wall of my house, and prepared to shift back into human form.

_You...alright now, Katie? _I turned¸ surprised: it was Devon- sounding a lot less sure than he normally did.

_Yeah, fine. _An awkward silence fell. It was weird, having a secret that Devon McAllister shared with you. What if he told? _Thanks to your expert nursing skills- how about a career in medicine? _Maybe those were to wrong words to relieve the tension: Devon then huffed, and turned away. I sighed. _Great work, Katie._

The pack was in a high state of alert when I got back- tension lay thick in the air as I strode through Cedar Ridge. But I was too wound up now- any more tense and I'd snap like a bowstring- so I swung by the cafe on the way back.

The familiar, comforting smell of roasting coffee and sharp disinfectant washed over me as soon as I walked through the door, relaxing me almost instantly. The bartender- and friend, Dorothea- waved at me whilst simultaneously managing to juggle beer glasses in the other hand. I grinned and waved back, then headed for the bar, where a group of Weres who were passing through were chatting. I knew all of their names: Yale, Snake, Jaimes...they were good company, and always managed to entrance me with tales of the outside.

"Hey, Katkin." Dorothea grinned, setting down the tumblers with pinpoint precision on the scarred work surface.

"How's it going?"

"Tensely."

"Good, good."

"Tensely? What's the matter in Cedar Ridge?" The tall one, a brown-eyed Were named Jaimes asked, and I bit my lip. Friendly was all very well, but it wasn't good giving away our position to potential enemies. It was Dotty, of course- she had a knack of making you tell the truth whether you wanted to or not.

"None of your beeswax." I replied lightly, sliding into the barstool beside them and trying to look unthreatening- possibly the best move where a band of touchy mammoth super naturals were concerned. I felt their eyes rove over me, and flinched. Female Weres were rare things as we had to be born with a male twin, otherwise we died. I was the only 'natural' female in Cedar Ridge; the rest had been viciously turned by a homicidal Were when I was about 6 months old. That made Cedar Ridge a focal point for male Weres who wanted a chance to court the females; we were stronger than human females and could potentially bear many more children. Ugh. If I was going for the love angle, of course.

"Aah, stingy as a wasp nest as usual." Heavily bearded Yale leant back in his chair, hand on his heart, defusing the situation somewhat.  
"Stop teasing." Scolded Dotty, smiling nevertheless.

"You going to be here long?" I asked the group at large.

"Dunno." Jaimes shrugged, pinning me with his azure eyes.

"I'll be gone by next week. What do you want to know today, young one?" That was Snake, speaking from the shadows. He was younger- hardly a good estimate of age, as we lived indefinitely- and a positive well of information about the outside, so naturally I gravitated towards his fantastical tales as much as possible.

"What do you know..." I tapped my chin thoughtfully, trying not to give anything away. "...about Maddy?"

I tried to shut my pack-bond link off as much as possible; the last thing we needed now was more suspicion. That might stop Devon from telling me anymore, too.

"Maddy?" Surprise coloured Snake's tone, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. Beside me, Dorothea sucked in a quick gasp, then moved off down the counter. She was probably going to tell another pack member what I was up to- and I couldn't let that happen.

"Dotty!" I called, raising my voice. "Can I have a drink?"

She turned around, frowning at me. "Now?"

"Yeah- I'm thirsty."  
She grimaced, but couldn't let the loners figure get suspicious- I had known that. Slowly, unwillingly, she moved up the counter towards us and reached under the bar for a glass.

"Anyway, Snake." I continued, smiling a little at my quick-thinking. "What can you tell me about Maddy?"

"Where d'you hear the name?" That was Ridley, and he was just as curious as the rest of them.

"In passing. I only heard a bit- that's why I wanted to know some more."

I knew I was taking a risk, in plain view of Dorothea, but I _had _to know more. She'd only just started filling up the glass- I had around half a minute more, if that.

"Well...the story of Maddy and Lucas has kinda become legend. I was with the Cedar Ridge pack only last week and they told me about it."

"Why were you there?" I interjected hastily.

"Had some unfinished business there." He said casually. "It was a dark time for your pack- for all the packs." Snake still had his finger pinched between his eyes; reciting it like a well-known fairytale- the cadences rose and fell like water.

"Maddy was abducted by a murderous Were named Andreo, and was his slave for...how many years? Eleven? Then when she became part of your pack- Cedar Ridge- she was there for the time when Lucas came and asked for sanctuary, disturbing the fragile peace between us, setting the trap. She fell in love with Lucas...then when he was killed, she left Cedar Ridge. She wanted to find peace with herself."

Snake trailed off for a second, leaving me time to sneak a peek at Dorothea. She was staring at Snake too, wide-eyed. Ha! Had she fallen under the spell of the storytelling too? Nobody could resist his way with words!

"There have been many stories about what she did whilst packless." Oh- Snake had started up again. "She crossed the desert, raised over a million by climbing Everest- and gave it all away, by the way. Eventually she took up with another pack." His voice twisted a bit at the end, breaking the spell.

"What other pack did she join?" I asked, eager to know more. If it wasn't too far away, we could go and visit her!

_That's enough! _Dorothea's voice wormed into my consciousness, tense and worried. _Let it go, Katie. It's not your business- it happened seventeen years ago! _

_What about that letter then, Dotty? Didn't you hear about that?_

Silence. Apparently, she had.

Snake opened his eyes, as though he could hear the exchange between us. They were almost black, the black of a bottomless hole. I stared at them, trying to read his expression. The other Weres were, too- they'd been caught up in the storytelling too. What were they thinking? It was so irritating not to know!

Snake opened his mouth. "She joined-"

_KATIE! _

"Aah!" I clutched my head as a thunderous voice blasted through my head, filling it with pain, not to mention a headache.

Then the unmistakeable presence of the alpha swept through me with the force of a hurricane.

_What_, said Bryn with deceptive calmness, _the HELL do you think you're doing, Katherine? _

I winced at the sound of my full name- a very good indicator that trouble was on the way. A bit late now, though.

_I was... _I scrambled frantically for an excuse, leaning away from the force of the anger directed my way. My eyes lighted on Lake, whose lips were curled back in a snarl, and Devon, who looked like he was having difficulty repressing one.

Dorothea! She must have contacted Bryn using the pack-link- I hadn't thought she'd do that, as she used the link so rarely. _No!_

I glanced around at the cafe- most of the room had gone silent, looking at us. Snake was watching, eyes wide, but he was the only one: the others were trying not to look anywhere near us.

_I'm waiting, Katherine. _

I tried again. _I was...just chatting._

Bryn actually did snarl then- it rolled around the cafe like a breaking wave, and everyone within a 5 metre radius- including me- either whined or cringed as the force of the alpha's power broke over them.

_Get. Out. Now._

I took a chance. _Not until you tell me about Maddy._

Bryn's expression went from incredulous to disappointed to furious in a heartbeat, and she gestured towards Devon, who came forwards, looking almost regretful. _What? _She was going to have him _throw me out?_

I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.

Leaping from my seat, I almost sprinted out the room in fury, cheeks flooded scarlet with humiliation. _Traitor. _I thought furiously at Devon, sending the thought out towards him like a slap. As I yanked open the door- the hinges creaking alarmingly- I chanced a glance back at the silent restaurant.

Bryn was in the centre, dominating the scene of silent shock, radiating ferocity. My eyes skittered over her and landed on Snake. He glanced back, then, very slowly, mouthed _Callum. _

Callum?

But I had to go now; otherwise who knew what my furious pack leader would do. Glancing longingly behind me, I left the silent cafe and headed outside into the day. The clouds had misted over now; the sky was dull and lifeless, the opposite to my simmering temper.


	4. The Twins

**New chapter folks! Many many thanks to the lovely reviewers- much indebted ;)**

I trudged aimlessly through the clearing, dry grass blades swishing at my heels and the memory of Bryn haunting my thoughts. I cowered at the memory of her rage. I had never done anything _that _bad before...I had often gotten into trouble, but then again it had always been for things that I _knew _I had done wrong, like eating the entire Christmas cake on Christmas Eve and being sick the next night, or annoying a pack-brother just that little bit too much. What had I done wrong now?

I knew tears were coming-a mixture of anger and confusion- try as I may to hold them back. So I sprinted for the cover of the trees before the wave broke. I couldn't go wolf; strong emotions were usually worse that way. So instead I threw myself onto the nearest root and sobbed tears of frustration at my disease, at trying to find out what was wrong with the pack, and not being able to shut down the link between them. For the first time, I wished that the ever-present bond in my head was just _gone_, and I could be alone with my thoughts.

Eventually- thankfully- the hosepipe dried up, and I could heave my head up from between my knees. I was glad; I didn't have enough patience with other people's crying, let alone my own.

Immediately afterwards, a thought penetrated my consciousness, an image of me running, my back to the onlooker, and then a feeling of concern. _Alex._

I wiped my eyes on my arm and then sent back an image of him, then the place where I was.

_I'll be there, _he promised, and then started running. I smiled despite myself. Alex had always been there for me- and vice versa. That time when I'd fallen out of the top of the fir tree; when I'd mixed Mitch's aftershave with silver paint; when he'd dislocated his shoulder on patrol. There wasn't much we didn't tell each other- apart from the thing with Lily. Apart from the thing with my...affliction.

He was fast though; barely a minute passed before I felt a warm arm slip around my shoulders and squeeze me gently. I leaned into his shoulder."Hey, little sis."

"Hi, Al."

"So, I heard the row in the cafe. _Felt _it, too." He shivered, once, next to me. "Am I to guess that you're to blame for that little predicament?"

I smiled wryly, mimicking his cheery upbeat tone. "You betcha." And I told him what happened.

His facade-bad at the best of times- couldn't keep off that kind of shock. "You...you did what?"

"Went behind the alpha's back, asked her second what was going on, and then tried to find out confidential pack information from some Rogues in front of Dorothea."

"Wow, thats...amazing." To my amazement, he started to chuckle, which suddenly morphed into a full-blown belly laugh beside me, so intense that he started coughing and choking, and several birds flew up from the fir trees around us.

"What?" I demanded, staring up at his face. "_What?" _

"You're...unbelievable, you are." He choked out between gasps. "I...would've liked...to see...the look on her face. Oh my god!" He collapsed again into giggles. I checked to see whether the pack-bond was working properly, disbelieving.

"Alex...I don't know how to say this, but...you're crazy!"

"Well," he finally stuttered to a stop. "You're the last person I expected to drive Bryn round the bend, that's all. Quiet and submissive for years, then, all of a sudden...whoomph!"

"You obviously don't know me as well as you think you do, then." I snapped, irritation flaring up in me like a struck match. "Go off and find Lily, why don't you?"

"Aww, KitKat, don't be like that." He grinned, leaning back against the bark.

Just to shut him up, I asked him about Callum.

And, amazingly enough, it worked.

"Why d'you want to know, Katkin?" He twisted around, staring at me. I swallowed and held my ground.

"Snake said something...about Maddy."

"Maddy?" Alex frowned. "It rings a bell..."

Quickly, I filled him in on what had been happening, feeling a sense of relief in being able to share something at last, and finally about what Snake had said. Alex on the other hand listened with growing disbelief. I was full of surprises today, apparently.

"Maybe she's with him, and maybe she knows something about the letter."

"Ye-es," My brother stretched the words out into two syllables as he thought. "Callum, eh?"

"Yes- d'you know who Callum is? Or _what _it is?"

"It could be...Callum could be alpha of Stone River."

"_Bryn's Callum?_"

"Yeah..."

Stunned, I leaned back against the tree, Alex's arm warm against my back. Stone River- it had taken Alex to make me see it, I had never considered the possibility before. The all-powerful alpha of Stone River: I had seen him once or twice and the power that rolled off him made him seem a bit like a god, far too unusual to have a name, much less _Callum. _Whenever Bryn talked about him, it was always with fondness. I think he was like family to her.

My quick spike of jealousy was swallowed by a surge of excitement. This was the next step! The next step on the path to figuring out what was going on here. I was beginning to have the sense that this pack had far too many buried secrets-more than a soap- hidden under the earth of the past. Of course, to find out anything more...

"Alex..."

Alex heard my tone of voice and knew what it implied right away. His jaw slackened in amazement as he saw in my head what I was planning.

"Katie, you _cannot _be serious."

"I am! Alex, don't you want to know what's going on here? What's really happening? There's something...hidden here. This whole thing with Maddy... I want to find out what it is!"

"Do you know what that would _mean_? Going behind Bryn's back- not just once, but twice? Haven't you driven her up the wall more than once? Forget up the wall- you've driven her in a loop-the-loop on top of the _ceiling_!"

"It'd be worth it...if we got rid of the threat, though. Wouldn't it?" The words sounded brave but my stomach plummeted at the mention of Bryn being driven, as Alex put it, 'in a loop-the-loop on the ceiling'.

Alex didn't answer. I twisted round and met his eyes: a cool, calm reflection of my own staring back at me. Same eyes, same thirst for questing. Or was I just being hopeful?

"Alex...please? We're the same underneath- you know it!"

He groaned and slumped backwards. "No! I have blue eyes and your head has a problem with that colour. We're not that similar! Don't do this to me, Katie! Mum would kill me...no. Definitely not."

"Is that definitely not or definitely not telling Mum?" I sidled closer, grinning. Alex might be the cool, calm one, but deep down we ran too similar for him not to at least be tempted by adventure.

"Come on, Al...I'll ask Lily to come too. Moral support, yes?"

His mouth twisted despite himself, and I knew the battle was won.

"Argh. You'll be the death of me, I swear it!"

"Haha!" I crowed, punching his arm in victory. "I knew it! The famous Were siblings, off on another whirlwind adventure!"

"Well, we might actually need to plan this." Already Alex was taking over, organising, thinking, and mapping everything out in his head. "We might actually need someone- for support, you know? One or two lone Weres are a soft target, but three or four...actually, Katkin, we might need to ask Lily. She won't give us away...and I'd like to have her there. Oh god, Katie, forget I said that!"

I grinned, through another flare of- it couldn't be jealousy, it had to be irritation- shot through me. I didn't do _love_. "Getting serious, are you?"

"No...yes...shut up!"

I laughed at the sky, giddy. It was getting dark, now: blankets of shadow lay around the trees but I didn't notice: we were going to solve this mystery once and for all. Who needed Nancy Drew?

* * *

It was dark by the time we returned to base, and by then we'd already been making eager plans about what to do. Alex had obviously decided to go to hell thoroughly, as his plans included a raid on Lake's weaponry- something I was still trying to dissuade him from for his own personal safety. The escape was set for two nights' time: the time when patrols would be thinnest, as it was Bryn's birthday then. Hopefully the celebrations would be so loud that it would cover our sneaking off.

I made my way back home alone, as Alex had gone off for a rendezvous with his sweetheart. I hoped he'd actually try and convince her to come, instead of spending time on other- rather dubious- pursuits.

Quietly, I opened the front door, hoping that mum was out, but—

"Katie!"

Damn! I cursed under my breath, turning slowly like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Clustered round our small kitchen table was Ali, Mitch, and Bryn, all cradling mugs of hot tea.

I gulped; my throat felt like sandpaper. Tension thickened like cold custard in the room.

"Hey, guys."

"Hi. Come and sit down." Mum's order. I obeyed, slipping into the only remaining chair, and facing my family. They all looked tired and careworn, and Bryn had puffy red eyes.

All of a sudden I felt a stab of guilt mix with the anger from earlier. She was my _sister_, and I'd let her down.

"Katie, we need to talk about what happened at the cafe." Bryn said tiredly, hugging her mug close.

"It won't happen again." I said quickly. Privately, hesitantly, I sent a feeling of remorse across the pack-bond, followed by a mental hug. Her mouth twitched upwards, and I knew- with some relief (though I didn't like to admit it to myself)- that she'd accepted my mental apology.

"Please don't. We need the pack's business to stay the pack's business- for important reasons of safety against others. Our pack is very vulnerable against Snake Bend and Stone River, and we need to ensure we don't give them a weakness to exploit."

That was Mitch. Shame swept over me and I ducked my eyes to the table, humbled by the older Were.

"Sorry." I said. My voice cracked halfway through, and red swept my cheeks.

Bryn's hand covered mine, and I looked up, surprised by the touch. I gripped her fingers tightly, not wanting to let go. The comforting presence of my older sister wrapped me securely and I felt around 5 years old again.

"That's fine, Katie." She paused, figuring out her words. "That's fine, but please, _please _don't spill secrets to the others, especially Snake. There's something I don't trust about him...he's been hanging around for a while now."

"Snake's my _friend_, Bryn." I stared at her, shocked. "He wouldn't do anything like that- I know him!"

"Do you?" She smiled wryly. "I thought exactly the same about-" She broke off suddenly, fingers contracting in mine.

I decided not to bring up Lucas and Maddy, and attempted to ignore her slip-of-the-tongue. It was her birthday tomorrow, anyway, and she deserved a break from worry.

But I was still going to remove myself from the cosy family scene ASAP.

"Night, everyone." I feigned a yawn before planting a kiss on her's- and Mum's- cheeks. "Long day tomorrow, sorting out your presents, Bryn. Can't believe you're this popular!"

She smiled back at me. "What do you mean? I'm the centre of the social universe, I'll have you know!"

* * *

Once in my room, I couldn't sleep. Images of Bryn, Alex, Devon and a petite brunette who I imagined was Maddy kept swirling around in my head, making me dizzy and nauseous. I stared at the ancient posters covering my ceiling until my eyes began to water and I finally accepted that oblivion was going to be a long time coming.

Then I got up, dragged on a jacket and opened the window. Cool night air rushed in, heavy with the smells of night time and making me itch to be out in it, running in the dewy silence. But instead I climbed out onto the window ledge, twisted around and grabbed the ledge that stuck out above my window.

Slowly but with the ease of years of practice, the roof came into sight and I hauled myself onto it, stretching out on the ledge and the shingles behind it. The sky was clear and cold above me; the stars were single points of white in the blackness. The sight of it always calmed me and soothed any nerves I might have about anything- things were so simple when I was up here.

"Aaah..." I let out a long sigh, relaxing against the roof. I imagined I could hear my family breathing below me, slow and calm, their heartbeats thudding in rhythm to their breathing.

Was I imagining it? Actually I could hear something...the night must be quieter than I realised.

"You know, that can't be the most comfortable place to sleep."


	5. The Rooftop

I gasped, letting loose a wild string of curse words, sitting bolt upright and almost falling off the roof. Shocked, I stared wildly around for the culprit, before realising that Devon McAllister was sitting right next to me. How had he gotten up so quietly? Hell, why was he up here at all?

"You okay?" He asked innocently.

"Holy hell! No! Just give me a moment for me heart to restart."

He grinned wickedly. "Shocks are very good for restarting the heart- d'you want me to-"

"No! I want you to stand still so I can punch you!"

"That's very ladylike of you."

"Ladies always know when to punch annoying _unwelcome _guests. It's in their repertoire."

Slowly my breathing turned back to normal, though my racing heart didn't seem to want to stop pounding. To disguise this, I leaned back against the roof tiles, propping myself up on my elbows and making my voice determinedly casual.

"So- why are you here?"

"Couldn't sleep. You?"

"Same."

"So you decided to give me a premature cardiac arrest. Idiot."

"Yeah- thought it might be some fun. You swear like a sailor."

"Only for you."

"I'm honoured."

I waited for him to say some more. He didn't. I blew a chunk of hair out of my eyes. He stared up at the stars, wrapped up in his private little bubble. I gritted my teeth, wishing- yeah, alright, maybe a little spitefully- that I could pop it.

Helpfully, I was saved from evil thoughts by the bubble being popped with Devon's next question.

"You ever think about being alpha? I mean, with Bryn being your sister?"

The question was a bolt from the blue, stunning me for a couple of seconds, and it took even longer before I could figure out my answer. Sure, I _thought _about it, but, when push came to shove, the responsibility would be too much- imagine looking after yourself, your pack, guarding against danger, holding your own against other alphas...no way. It was more of a fairytale thing- you know, 'When I'm older I want to be a princess.' That kind of daydream. Besides, Bryn did a much better job than I could ever do- apart from where this Lucas thing was concerned. Also, there was another thing...

"No." I said eventually, neutrally. Why had he even asked that? Suddenly deciding to attack back, I asked "Do _you_?"

There was an abrupt silence, and I clenched my jaw, worrying that I had driven him out.

Then- "Sometimes," he replied. "But...the reality is closer to home for me. My brother, Shay, is alpha of Snake Bend."

"Oh!" I exclaimed, surprised. "But...you're not in Snake Bend. You can't become alpha unless..."

My unspoken words hovered in the air between us. _Unless you challenged him. _

"I hate him." Devon said the words simply, but I could sense the stirring of the wolf inside him, an instinctive rage towards his brother. "I'd kill him if I could."

I was silent, absorbing the information. Matching up what I remembered of Shay with what I knew about Devon, I concluded that they weren't that similar. Sure, they were gigantic, and had that same kind of_ intense, _almost savage quality (Devon just kept his better hidden), but Devon was, let's be honest, a much nicer guy. If he killed Shay, then Devon would be part of Snake Bend- _alpha _of Snake Bend, and while that might be all and good where alliances were concerned, I was taken aback to find that I didn't like the idea much.

It must be because Bryn would be devastated about it.

I grinned into the night. "You're as snookered as a pool table." I said.

He gave a surprised laugh. "I'd say more."  
"That's your cue...to come up with another pun."

"Well it's all going to go balls-up anyway. Or balls down..."

"Ha!"

The night was quiet, but weirdly it wasn't really that awkward. Perhaps it was the fact that he knew something that Alex didn't, or that he'd comforted me when I'd broken down, or just that there was nobody else there, but I didn't really mind. It was kind of nice to have some company and to see more of the real Devon- not just the laughing, joking kind that everyone else saw.

"The sky's looking nice tonight." I said randomly, just to break the silence.

"Yeah...the carpet of heaven. All blue and twinkly."

"Carpet of _heaven_?" I choked. "Give me a break. It's not even blue...it's a kind of blackish-grey."

"It's very blue...blue like my...t-shirt. There, I should be a poet."

I rolled over and squinted at his shirt. It sat well on him, very snug...woah. _Don't _go there! I stared at the dark mass of his hair instead, hooking my eyes onto a random curl. Just...answer the question, preferably not in a moronic way.

"Your shirt's not blue either. It's grey." I said. How was that for a clumsy sentence? I tried again, staring at the grass below the cabin instead. "I think poetry's out of the question for you...how about a carpet dealer?"

He chuckled. "Tempting, but no. Life has greater things in store for me- though I did want to be a furniture salesman when I was younger."

"_Furniture?"_

"Yeah. I wanted...a normal life. And selling furniture is as normal as it gets. To not be bound to the pack for once. To be like Bryn- she could just pick up and leave any time, as a human. Ah...a beautiful time of teenage werewolf rebellion. Like an ice lolly in an oven, it was bound to fizzle out some time."

I knew what he was talking about- I'd had the same kind of thoughts several times recently, and was getting them more and more. I didn't tell him, though- I didn't like spilling secrets to anybody. And anyway, he still looked like a teenager to me- Weres aged slowly. I didn't know how old he actually was, and I didn't really want to think about it.

I tried a different tack.

"That simile was about as good as 'blue carpet of heaven'. And it wasn't even blue."

"It's very blue."

"It's _grey_! Like your shirt."

"Okay. Let's test this theory, Miss Grey. What colour is the sky during the summer? What colour is the sea? What colour is the paint on your house? Hmmm?

I was beginning to feel like this was going beyond a joke. "Devon. They are _all _grey. Stop teasing!"

Then I paused in horror, realising what I'd been saying. I sucked in a breath; worried my lip with my teeth. I'd just let down my guard! How had he _done_ that? I could only hope he'd take the bait and think I'd still been needling him.

He didn't.

"You're Wolf-Sighted." It was a statement, not a question. I turned my head and saw- with a jolt- that Devon's eyes were looking slap-bang into mine. I swallowed and looked away.

"It's called witty repartee, Devon. Haven't you heard of it?"

"No, it makes sense." He said thoughtfully, staring up into the sky. "You can't see blue. You see grey...that's cool. Never known anyone who could do that before. Never seen it through the pack bond either. You know, those jokes about you being more wolf than human might actually have a basis in fact."

"You can shut up now." I didn't feel him poking around in my head though, like Alex when he was curious about my 'ability', so kudos for that, at least.

"Okay, so you can tell me about it. I've always been curious...I thought it was made up."

He was so damn sure...I hated him for it, but, then again, he was right.

"Yes." I admitted, with a sigh. "Don't get a big head! I've never told anyone though. Nobody sees it through the bond because their brains translate the colour back into blue." I'd tested this one with Alex. It was, apparently, a non-twin, one-woman thing. Independence! Yay for me! Not.

"Not many people know...Alex, mum, Mitch. Bryn, too. It's a kind of family thing."

"Why not tell anyone? It's like having superhero powers. You know, x-ray vision- I wish I had that!"  
I laughed. "Yes, I bet you do. It doesn't really _help _me_. _I know why I don't tell many people...they'd treat me differently. You know, all that stuff about wolf-sight being the sign of true wolfiness...having wolfy magic that others don't. It doesn't interest me- I don't want to be alpha and I don't want people thinking that I should be. I love Bryn. She's my sister."

"Wow. That's blunt."

"Yup."

It was oddly peaceful, lying out here. Just me and Devon...if I wasn't careful, we were going to end up as friends. This new 'liking thing' made me feel just that little bit guiltier about sneaking out during Bryn's birthday celebrations. I brutally squashed that feeling, though. I didn't want feelings getting in the way of whatever threat was heading our way.

Instead, I concentrated on the quiet, the sounds of night-time- crickets chirping, the wind whispering through the trees. It was peaceful; oddly so. I didn't really mind Devon when he was being quiet like this. He was surprisingly non-annoying when torn from Bryn's side. Friends, even? No, not friend; that was possibly going to be the start of a long route I didn't really want to go down.

Acquaintances. Maybe.

It was really better if I stopped it now.

"Well, time's a-wasting." I leapt lightly onto my feet, staring at Devon, and getting the satisfaction of seeing him jump slightly. Seeing a smirk cross my face, he grinned wickedly back.

"One conquest done; better move on to the next one."

I covered up the momentary-and surprising- flash of hurt with a scowl, glaring down at him like he was a disgusting insect I'd found on the sole of my foot. I snarled at him, lifting my upper lip to expose teeth. Risky- I was practically challenging him- but I didn't really care at that moment. "And here was me thinking that you were actually a decent person."

"Hah. Maybe not conquest," he allowed. "And the way you're acting, not friends. So, see you later, unfriend."

"Yup. See you, unfriend."

He sprang lithely to his feet, making barely a sound on the tiles. Good thing too, otherwise the whole household would be awake. It was a lot less impressive that I was standing up, now, though- he was about a head taller than me.

Weirdly- irrationally- I almost opened my mouth, asked him to stay. But I didn't. I wasn't going to be that pathetic!

And then he dropped out of sight, making nothing but a smallest _thunk _on the grass as he landed. I crawled over to the edge of the rooftop and looked down.

Damn it! He was looking right at me- he must have expected me to come a-peeping. I scowled at him and told him where to go; he grinned and winked.

"Katie- don't go off on some fool's errand to track down whatever murderer's waiting out there."

My good mood vanished in a snap, and I mashed my lips together. How did he know what I was going to do? Well, I wasn't going to deny it.

"What I do is none of your business, Devon McAllister."

"Aah, it was worth a shot. I'll convince you. Bye, blasphemous unfriend. You're the only conquest for now; I'm still working on you."

Then he sped off into the distance, leaving me staring open-mouthed after him.


	6. The Party

The day after passed in a flurry of tension and jubilation- tension at the note, though nothing had yet happened, apart from me fouling things up in the cafe. And jubilation at the fact that Bryn's birthday celebrations were imminent. Bryn had refused to tell anyone her age, on the grounds that it made her feel old, but I had done the maths, and she definitely didn't look 35.

I was still trying to make it up to Bryn for the cafe fiasco, by being as sweet as I possibly could without giving myself toothache - taking extra patrols, organising the catering, and generally diverting suspicion in any way I could. I hadn't seen Devon since the night on the rooftop, and it felt too weirdly intimate to speak to anyone else about. Although Mitch and Ali didn't know, they were keeping too close an eye on me for me to even consider sneaking off to have another friendly chat with Snake, though.

"I mean, he's my friend!" I complained to Lily one night, whilst sorting out tributes from other pack leaders. I scowled at the thoughtful dead deer on the table, courtesy of Desert Leaf. "Why shouldn't I be able to see him?"

Lily sighed from her seat next to me, obviously not listening. I sensed lemon soap and Alex's colour- _my colour- _hair filtering through the pack bond. I sent her a sharp mental nudge, and she jumped.

"Sorry- w-what?"

"I said, why am I not allowed to see my friend?"

"If you mean Snake, it's because he's talking with Bryn at the moment."

I almost choked. "_What_? Snake with _Bryn_?_ Why_?"

Lily sighed. _"Because, _doofus, he's the ambassador for Stone River. He's giving Bryn his congratulations and hopes that he can stay for the free booze later."

"Stone River? _Really_?"

"Honestly! I know more about your friend than you! Has your mind been wandering, Katie? To something, or some_one, _more accurately?"

"Lils! You can hardly talk!"

"Well you've talked about it enough, so now it's my turn." She leaned conspiratorially over the table, causing me to wince and pull the deer away from her dancing red curls. I felt uneasy; what had Lily been noticing?  
"You, Miss Bacherlorette, Miss What's-the-point-of-love, have been staring after a certain Mr McAllister like he's a...a...slab of chocolate. Don't tell me you haven't. You have been staring out of the window, and- _you're doing it again!_"

Mortified, I snapped my gaze back to my friend, cheeks on fire. "So, I like looking out of windows. And?"

"Katie!"

"Alright! He's been...more bearable than usual, lately."

"Oh, really?"

"And we shall not speak of this again. It is nothing more than friendly companionship."

Lily, obviously thinking that her silence spoke volumes, snorted in a condescending way. I ignored her, picking up a box from Stone River and opening it to find a lion's heart inside.

We worked in silence for a couple of minutes, then I sent her a hasty mind-message of me, her and Alex sneaking off, followed by a question mark.

Lily stiffened, then looked furtively around, before replying.

_I've agreed to Alex, so I guess I'm in._

_Yessss! _I mentally punched the air. _Well, let's meet at the edge of the forest- next to the lake, you know? Around eight. Then we'll sneak off from there. _

_Okay. God, Katie, I hope we'll find something useful. Otherwise our pelts won't be fit for use ever again. Literally tanned hides._

_We will. I'm sure of it._

* * *

The festivities were well and truly on their way by the time Lily and I had sorted out the mountains of gifts. Honestly, it was surprising what some packs thought Bryn would appreciate- I still didn't know where we were going to put the door sized beaten-bronze shield- but then, I guessed that Bryn's reputation as a warrior went before her.

Eventually, I emerged from the 'gift house', feeling more than a little exhausted, and headed straight home for a quick change, slipping a black jumper into my bag for night-time camouflage, which could be put over an innocent- but rather nice- floaty purple strap top. I might as well look nice for the event, I told myself. The silver studs in my ears winked slyly at me through the strands of dark auburn. I scrutinised my reflection in the half-light: wide grey eyes stared at me above a bridge of freckles and brown skin. Taking my hair out of its ponytail for the first time in about a week and giving it a quick brush-through with my fingers, I glanced in the mirror again. There! Much better.

Trying to quash any nervous feelings, I headed outside to the gathering of wolves swarming around the trestle tables in the middle of the clearing. I didn't like the amount of non-Cedar Ridge wolves around, and had to suppress a small snarl when one passed uncomfortably close to my line of sight. This was making me edgy; and I bet it was Bryn as well: this couldn't have been her idea. Huh. Stupid pack politics. I bet that half the Weres around here were trying to make connections with the female members of the pack in the hope that they'd be seduced over to the dark side. So much for happy birthday, Bryn.

"Hey, wolf girl!" I spun around at the sound of Bryn's voice, and grinned at her. She looked very well done-up for the event; truthfully, she looked stunning, and not at all her true age. Mind you, around here, age was only a number, seeing as most people only aged at a snail's pace.

"We're all wolf girls here. You age well, big sis."

"Shush." She said, waving a dismissive hand in the air. "This is scaring me like you wouldn't believe. So many other wolves! It's kinda scary, and I don't even have extra lip-gloss for the event."

"Tragic. Happy birthday." I leant in close and gave her a heartfelt hug, feeling awful for what I was about to do. She was nervous already; she always tended to babble when expected to make long and solemn Alpha-Wolf speeches. But, hey: hopefully she wouldn't even notice I'd gone. "Here's your present." I extricated a slim parcel from my bag and handed it to her. I hoped she'd like it; they'd been fairly expensive.

She shot me a questioning look as she opened the box, and then gasped. Nestling on a velvet cushion was a pair of sleek silver throwing knives- perfectly honed and balanced. Perfect, in short, for her awesome combat skills.

"Katie! These must have cost the earth!" Her shock and amazement reverberated across the pack-bond like a wave, making the others look around reflexively.

"They were fairly expensive." I conceded, trying to hide my pleasure at her reaction. "But nothing's too much for your big three-five. You'd better kick some butt with those, anyhow."

"Definitely." She carefully plucked one out of the lining, balancing it on her finger. "Perfect..." She took her two normal knives out of their customary sheathes and slid the new ones in, careful not to touch the blades themselves.

"D'you want these?" I looked down in shock to see her proffering her old ones to me.

"What? Your knives? Bryn, I couldn't..." I didn't even have half of her skill, though she'd tried to teach me.

"Yes, you could." She said firmly, pushing them into my hands. "It's the least I can do...anyway, I want to know they're going to a good home."

"Well..." I slipped one into my belt, and the other into my bag. "How can I refuse, then? Thank you!"  
"It's you I should be thanking, you wally!" Bryn dropped the box and hugged me again, fiercely. "They're wonderful. And if some people are really annoying me, then I'll whip these out."

"And start a pack war." But I grinned into her shoulder, inhaling the smell of cinnamon and pine that was uniquely Bryn. "I'd better go and...make friendly conversation with the diplomats."  
"You? Friendly? When hell freezes over!" She laughed. "See you later."

I waved and slipped into the crowd, making a point to talk to as many people as possible so they could all back me up if I needed an alibi. I was probably being way too cautious, but that was infinitely better than facing down a livid alpha.

After having talked to as many people as I could stand without attacking something, I eventually headed for the woods and Stone River, away from the chatting Weres, cutting myself off from the pack-bond. I was twitchy enough; any more diplomatic conversation was going to make me snarl at someone. There should be enough confusion that they wouldn't notice, with a bit of luck. Reaching the cool solitude of the treeline, I sighed with relief, but-

"Hey!" I frowned and turned back to see Jaimes and Ridley watching me curiously. I groaned inwardly. Not now!

"Yes?" I kept my voice as polite as I could. Damn suspicious wolves!  
"Where you going? Recovered from the- ahem- incident in the cafe?" Ridley asked with the faintest hint of a sneer.

I bit down on my lip, feeling my canines sharpen in my mouth. Don't lose your temper, don't get angry...

"I'm going for a run. I'm...a bit claustrophobic." That was true, at least.

"Mind if we come with you?"

Yes, yes, yes! "Yeah. I want a bit of alone time, if you don't mind. Just feeling a bit edgy." I tried to conceal any panic from my voice, but the two Weres simply smiled in a very predatory way, making me feel less-than-comfortable. I might just have forgotten how much of a commodity females were in this community, and they were definitely making me feel self-conscious. I couldn't even use the pack bond to see what they were thinking, and that in itself made me feel both isolated and unprepared for whatever they were thinking of doing.

Ridley took a step forwards; I took one back, running up against the broad roughness of a pine tree. Panic exploded across my brain- there was no way I could hold off two of them at once...Oh my god. Was there time to reach for one of Bryn's knives without turning this a whole lot more threatening? I trembled on the edge of shifting, waves of heat radiating across my body...

"Get off her!" Thank god, Alex! No...I squinted into the darkness. Devon?

The other two whirled, snarling, only to come up against the six foot-something bulk of my anti-hero. Even Jaimes and Ridley, who weren't exactly midgets themselves, only came up to his shoulder. Must be the alpha genes or something. Devon certainly looked like an alpha: in all truth, he looked absolutely terrifying, and I was surprised the other two didn't cower, because I definitely felt like doing so.

Touching, considering he was doing all that for me.

"We weren't doing anything." Jaimes had calmed down now; slicking his black hair away from his intense icy-blue eyes, he surveyed Devon coolly. "Just talkin'."

"Do I need to remind you that you're guests here at Cedar Ridge?" Their opponent snarled; he obviously _hadn't _cooled down. In fact, I thought with a flash of fresh panic, he was on the verge of shifting, and if that wasn't the best way to start a pack war, I didn't know what was.

_Devon. Cool it._ I hastily unblocked the barrier keeping me from the pack, letting in a flood of emotions, and sent him a quick message. _I'm fine, honestly._

_Katie, they were about to attack you...or worse. _He still sounded furious- both at me and them, and that sparked off my own gunpowder temper.

_But they didn't. Stop being so macho, you're going to start a pack war!_

_Oh really? So why were you panicking about not being about to hold them off? _

Oh my god. _Get out of my brain! _I hissed, sending him an image of me hitting him on the head with a cricket bat. I thought I saw his lips twitch as he turned to the other two.

"You've gotten lucky this time. Get out."

They snarled, but backed off sharpish. I exhaled a breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding, and sagged against the rough trunk of the tree, pressing my nails into the bark to keep my suddenly wobbly legs from collapsing.

"Thank you..." I said quietly, staring at the dirt.

"That's okay. I saw you heading out, and them following you." He swallowed, the shadow of the wolf still lurking underneath the facade of his skin. Then he had control of himself again, and it was gone. It was the male wolfy thing- apparently they didn't think us puny females stood a chance against the big bad world, so they had a built-in protection syndrome. Ah well- considering there were so few of us, maybe it was actually a good thing. Also, it was kinda flattering.

"Anyway, where are you going?" He was back on task again, frustratingly. "The Big Bad Woods are no place for anyone tonight, with all the Rogues and Weres around..." The rest of his sentence hovered in the air-_especially not in your condition. _

"Erm...just going for a quick wander. Everything's a bit much at the moment." I said quickly, and not altogether untruthfully. I was rewarded with a nod.

"Yeah, I understand. But don't stray too far from base, will you?"

"Are you worried for me? Sweet." I smiled into his face for the first time since his arrival, and was surprised when his dark eyes smiled back at me, causing butterflies to do a little dance in my stomach.

Whoa! Back away slowly, Katie.

I turned before he could do anything else, and practically sprinted off into the woods, leaving him gobsmacked behind me. I was on the verge of panic as it was without adding a whole other dimension to the mix. Love is stupid, Katie. It turns people into mushy fools. Remember that?

* * *

I met up with Alex and Lily just outside the pack boundary. My rucksack- with clothes, because there was no way in hell I was going to walk into Stone River territory naked- was packed and ready, and I saw similar bags on their persons, too. Alex looked pale, and Lily extremely jittery. I tried not to notice that they were holding hands, and instead offered a large grin.

"Ready, guys?"

_Yup. _

_No, but let's get this over with. _

And with that, I shifted- nervously, hoping beyond hope that nothing would happen, letting the wolf in me go free.

We ran like maniacs towards Stone River- we'd already crossed the scent marks at the boundary, and were now truly alone in foreign territory. It was one of the only times that I'd ever been cut off like this, and truthfully, it was pretty scary. I sniffed cautiously at every turn, alert for any wolves or people that might be there, ready to spring an attack on us.

Despite that, my muscles relaxed with the joy of running. Smooth, loping strides, winding through the trees: the wolf run that can go on forever. With Alex and Lily by my side, I felt strong and confident, and ready to take on Callum.

Suddenly, the smell of pine got much stronger, and the faint outlines of houses came into light, warm buttery light filtering through the trees from windows. We were finally at Base Camp.

Centring myself, I concentrated, feeling my bones snap and muscles shift as I changed back into human form, accompanied by my thoughts shifting back to human clarity, along with a sharp twinge which almost had me gasping on the ground in pain. I took a deep breath to hide my panic; what was _happening _to me? Was I (please, please no) turning into a _human_? For someone who practically lived wolf, I couldn't imagine any worse fate.

I concealed my involuntary whimper from Alex and Lily, brutally quashing any panic- I couldn't worry them now, not with everything else on top- and quickly got changed. We'd agreed on this beforehand, as it would be much less intimidating for three vulnerable human Weres to walk into Stone River than three wolves.

Still, it was almost unnaturally quiet, especially with our super-acute hearing. I'd been hoping that we wouldn't run into any patrols, and we hadn't- which was strange in itself. Normally this place would be bustling with activity- only a couple of emissaries would have travelled to Cedar Ridge for Bryn's party.

I opened my mouth to ask the others what they thought, but before the words even left my mouth, a dark shape hurled itself out of the shadows towards me. Cold metal suddenly encircled my throat; a large presence behind me prevented me from backing off it.

"What the _hell_ are you doing here, Katie?"


	7. The Invalid

I stayed stock still and tried not to whimper. Tentatively, I felt behind me with my pack-bond and encountered nothing. Not one of us- duh. We were in Stone River territory!

The line of the knife started to sear across my skin, and I gasped in pain. The attacker- a man, judging by the bulk of him- was carrying silver. Wasn't that just great. Unwillingly, but unable to stop myself, I leant away from the blade's kiss until my head was tucked under the man's chin.

"We want to talk to Callum." I said, as firmly as I could manage- until the blade bit a little deeper when the Were tensed in surprise, and I had to bite my tongue, holding back a whimper.

"Well, what d'you want to do that for, Katie?" He asked, gravelly voice warm in my ear."Three little children wander into Stone River camp all alone, and think they'll be escorted to see that alpha like royalty?"

"How- how do you know my name?" I spat out between gasps.

I felt him tense even further. "Pack business." He said evasively. "Nothing you need worry your pretty little head about."

Anger bit at me, overwhelming my survival instinct. "We're from Bryn St. Clare. Alpha of Stone River." I snarled at him. "Ambassadors. Show some respect."

"I'll give respect when you've earnt it. Go home, girl. Females are meant for breeding, not marching around the countryside." He growled, pressing the blade into my throat; a scorching kiss of silver which blacked out the edges of my vision. I couldn't wait anymore- had to act, or face blacking out in enemy territory. Like a snake, I jerked my head back and up, cracking my skull into the stranger's chin and snapping his head back. He snarled in pain; the knife wavered momentarily and I ducked from underneath it. Mentally thanking Bryn, I pulled her old silver knife from my boot and faced him with it, praying that some of her skill had somehow seeped into the blade and would help me.

With a knife in my hand, the world was clearer; things moved more slowly. Despite my lack of skill, I could hear Bryn's voice in my ear, patiently guiding me through the moves- _balance on the balls of your feet, Katie. Anticipate the opponent's move- you've got to be ready for him. Never get angry; it gives you strength, but you get clumsy and that clouds your judgement._

I faced the Stone River Were. I was as ready as I'd ever be.

Let's dance.

With a guttural snarl, he lunged straight at me- his knife a flash of silver in the dark- with inhuman speed. I ducked under his blow, grabbing his knife arm and using his momentum to throw him off balance. He staggered and hit a tree, letting loose a roar. With every sense on hyper alert, I saw his form shimmer around the edges- he was fighting the change brought on by his anger, and fighting it hard.

He managed to get himself under control just as I nipped in and stole the knife from his unresisting hand. He stiffened as both Bryn's blade and his own leapt towards his throat in a deadly 'x', pinning him in place against the tree trunk. We were locked in a reflection of the scene earlier.

"It's funny you're so anti-feminist, 'cos a girl just kicked your ass." I snarled into his ear. "Take that back!"

"Drop your knives!"

A new voice boomed through the darkness, thick with authority. I recognised the tone just as the aura of the alpha washed through the clearing like a wave, cowing rebellion and inciting loyalty.

Callum was here.

Slowly- there was no point in resisting any longer- I removed the silver from the Were's stubbled throat. He relaxed slightly as the blades left contact with his skin.

"Callum." Lily said, dipping her head respectfully. Alex followed suit- which was probably wise, seeing as he was the most powerful alpha that any of us had ever encountered. I didn't, though- I stepped aside and allowed my tall, grizzled opponent to stalk past me, bristling with fury, to stand at Callum's right shoulder. I mentally kicked myself. I'd just attacked the alpha's second, and he did _not _look happy about it. His eyes, dark and timeless, swept over us, making me feel about a centimetre tall.

"I was expecting you."

Was he? How did he know that we'd be coming? That was annoying- we'd lost the element of surprise before we'd even had it.

Alex surprised me by speaking up. "Well, then, you'll know why we came. Recently, Cedar Ridge received a threatening letter sent by- we think- a former member of our pack. Someone we met intimated that Stone River knew something about the situation."

Wow! Since when had Alex been such a cool, calm speaker? He practically radiated serenity and diplomacy. I was extremely impressed, but a pang of something-or-other twanged in my heart, listening to his confident tones. We were less alike than I'd realised; I'd never have attempted the 'polite' approach. I was more of a bash-the-door-in kinda girl.

"Really." This reminded me of the times Callum had come to Cedar Ridge- just like then, he gave nothing away. Every conversation was a guessing game, if you didn't know him well enough (like Bryn did, for instance).

The silence stretched between us, growing as thin and strained as cheesewire. I shuffled from one foot to the other, uncomfortable under the alpha's gaze but unwilling to move an inch from the leafy forest floor. It looked a lot like he was weighing us up.

_You okay, Katie? _That was Alex, his concern radiating across the pack-bond.

_Yeah, fine, Al. Lil?_

_Yup. Cursing the day we came here, but fine._

I smiled. Even now, with danger buzzing around our heads, with the waning moon throwing silver shadows over our shapes, with an alpha staring at me like I was a challenge that needed to be sorted out, I had never felt so alive. The moon's light mixed with my blood, dazzling everything in silver. Even human, I was Wolf.

As if he'd sensed my thoughts, Callum suddenly grinned, and the smile cracked his facade, showing friendliness spilling through the gaps. "Alright, then. Come on, we'll take you to see Maddy."

_What? _For a moment, I couldn't think straight. Maddy? _The _Maddy_? _Hang on- for all this time we'd been looking for her- for all the guilt Bryn had felt over her- she'd been in Stone River territory? _All this time? _Any shock I felt was quickly swallowed up in a flood of anger. Stupid Callum! Why did he always have to make things so difficult?

"She only came to us a week or so ago." He said, as though reading my thoughts. "We haven't kept this information from you for so long."

Long enough, I thought viciously. I bit my lip to disguise my snarl; it probably wasn't a good idea to challenge the most-powerful alpha that I knew. Perhaps sensing this, Callum quickly introduced the Were that attacked me as 'Mr McAllister', and immediately afterwards, he took off towards the cabins, expecting us to follow. 'Mr McAllister' snarled at me, and then ran the opposite direction, into the deep, dark forest, and was soon lost from sight. Suddenly putting two and two together, I twigged that he was-

_That's Devon's dad! _Lily exclaimed in my head. I rolled my eyes mentally. _Doesn't look much like him, does he?_

_Nope. He's a lean mean killing machine._

_No, that's Devon all over. Getting soft on him, are you Katie?_

_WHAT? _Oops, Alex had heard. But now really wasn't a good time to have him go all big-brother on my ass.

_Not now, Al! Later! _ I promised him mentally, before following Callum's long-legged stride into the middle of Stone River territory.

It was eerily quiet, walking through all the deadly still houses in the camp. And it wasn't natural. Every sense was on full-alert for an attack or for screaming to be heard- because at all times of the day, the camp would be bustling with activity: night patrols, late sleepers, those who couldn't resist the call of the waning moon.

"Why is it so quiet?" I chanced asking Callum, though I didn't really expect him to answer- one pack's weakness became the chance for another to attack.

So I was surprised when he did.

"Someone poisoned the water supply." He answered briefly. "With silver dust. After the first three died, I temporarily moved the pack further upriver."

Silver dust? I shuddered involuntarily. That was the worst death I could think of: scorching pain eating up your insides bit by bit...only a human could be inhumane enough to do that. Or a vengeful Were. Hopefully they wouldn't come to Cedar Ridge next. Though it explained why he wasn't as uptight as usual on seeing us in his base camp- we couldn't lead an attack on an empty settlement.

"And Maddy?"

"She was attacked, too." Callum said briefly. "She staggered into camp with vicious wounds all over her, a couple of days ago. We took care of her- we did our best before the poisonings started- but they aren't healing. I don't think she's got much longer to live."

I was so glad that this wasn't happening to Cedar Ridge, but still- the quicker this got to Bryn, the better. She'd be devastated about Maddy. There wasn't a lot anyone could do about silver in the water supplies unless they were warned beforehand.

Callum led us through the huts- pausing briefly to show us a small, low-slung house which he said had once been Bryn's art studio, but which was now another home for pack members. I stared with fascination at the place where my sister had spent so much of her time- come to think of it, me and Alex had been born here ourselves. Which house had it been? I gazed around at the empty houses, trying to disguise my fascination. We hadn't been here long, but did Callum think he could get us back for Stone River? Another female would be priceless to his pack. So...there could be a reason for his sudden friendliness.

Eventually, at the very edge of camp, the trees thickened again until they were little more than a metre or two away from each other. We squeezed through the darkness, until a small hut grew out of the darkness, a dark silhouette against the starry background. A small light burned in one window, but otherwise there was no sign of life. We'd reached Maddy's house.

It took me a moment to realise that Callum had stopped. I continued walking, before realising, pinwheeling to a halt and bumping into Alex, who swore loudly.

"I must warn you- you'll only be able to see her with supervision. Not from me- I've got to sort out some pack business, but I'll come and get you after ten minutes. The guard."

Ten minutes? I frowned at the absurdly short time, but was wise enough (for once) not to comment. Callum's place- Callum's rules.

The alpha must have mentally called the guard to come and fetch us, because the next thing I heard was the crackling and snapping that comes from someone moving very quickly through a forest in autumn. My nostrils flared as I caught the scent coming towards us on the still night air- and I bit back a snarl on sensing who it was. Could this night get any worse? Beside me, I felt Alex bristle and tense, lips curling back in a silent growl. Not so much boy any more- more wolf, and an angry one at that. I nudged him with my shoulder, sending him a silent message. _I'm here, Al._

He flicked his head sideways almost imperceptibly to look at me. _I know, KitKate. But we shouldn't have come._

"Here's the guard. I'll leave you for now." Callum was tactfully retreating. "I'm sure that you'll be fine with him. After all..." he let his words die away on the night air, before turning and running off, his form blurring with speed.

The guard approached.

There was nothing else for it.

"Hello." I said guardedly, pushing forwards until we stood less than a metre apart. He slowed down, feet skidding slightly. In the dim light of the moon, I looked up reluctantly to find his eyes taking in my face, then Alex's.

"Hey, Katie, Alex. Lily." Said Casey (a.k.a Unenthusiastic Father of the Year™; All Rights Reserved). "How are my children?"

"Good." I said shortly. Mitch was my father, not this man. And yet... there were similarities. I could see Alex in the shape of his face and mouth, and (horrors!) me in his eyes and hair. There was a long, awkward silence. Casey ran fingers through his hair- Alex did exactly the same when he was nervous- and said "Shall we get on then?"

"Yeah." I replied, glad for the intrusion. "Yeah, let's go." I stalked past him to the hut, not waiting for the others to catch up, and mounted the small set of stairs. The wood clunked under my feet as I strolled across the decking and placed my hand on the doorknob. "Can I go in?"

"Be my guest." Casey was still there with Alex and Lily. His eyes didn't move from Alex as he spoke, though; ditto my brother. Either it was manly tension or some father-son reunion going on. I didn't want to be there for either, but unfortunately for us, my father loped up the steps and gestured to the other two. "It's best if you all stick together."

"Okay." I muttered, turning the handle and stepping into the apartment. "Let's go."

And we went to talk to Maddy.

The house was light inside; light and dry. The whole living room had been made into a bedsit: a cooker and table was jammed into a corner, along with a telly and bookshelf. A battered first-aid kit stood on a low table along with several mugs which smelt of days-old coffee. I wrinkled my nose at the bitter scent, as my eyes fell on the camp bed.

Maddy didn't look so bad at first sight- but she didn't look at all like I'd expected her to. Petite and blonde, she lay on the pillows as though she had no strength to hold herself upright. Her skin was sallow and her cheek was marked with a vicious, long-healed scar. Sickness radiated off her in waves. On seeing us, her face broke into a half smile.

"Cedar Ridge...I haven't smelt that in so long." Her eyes scanned me, and beside me, Lily and Alex. "Oh my god...that's Lily! And you- you're the twins!" Her face broke into a fully-fledged grin, and she coughed feebly.

"Maddy..." Lily breathed, her face stark white against her flaming hair. She rushed forwards, sinking onto her knees by the campbed. "God...I haven't seen you in so long. How are you?"

"They've been better."

"Do you mind us asking you a question, Mad?" Lily asked, biting her lip. When she nodded, she motioned at me.

"Who attacked you?" I decided to cut to the chase. "'Cause we got a note recently saying that...saying that Bryn was going to be killed because...because...because of Lucas' death." I finished in a rush.

Her eyes widened and her breath came in rasps. "Careful now." Casey cautioned us.

"No...it's okay. He's...he's been dead a while, though I didn't want to admit it." Maddy whispered. "You know, I was so full of _anger _when I left. Anger at Lucas, at Bryn, at the whole damn world. But now...though I travelled so much, I was always going to come back to Cedar Ridge. And now it looks like I won't be able to..." She gave a frightening wheeze. "...but I didn't send that note. I loved my pack. I would never hurt them. But maybe..." She swallowed.  
"I travelled- for a while- with an old member of Luc...Lucas' pack. I told him that he'd died, and he flipped. He was furious...but I don't think he was entirely sane to begin with. Good at faking it, though. He wanted revenge-swore it. He said that he'd tell Lucas' brother all about it. I left him that night."

Ooh, a lead! "What did he look like?"

"Tall, brown eyes- I think- brown hair, curly. Used to hang out with Dorothea. Erm. His name began with...Ja? James?"

My stomach plummeted through the floor. "Jaimes?"

"Yeah. That's it!"

The very Jaimes that was currently at Cedar Ridge?

Oh, no.


	8. The Challenge

For a moment, acid clawed at my throat as I struggled to take it in. Black spots popped in front of my eyes and I ground the heels of my palms into my eyes. What had I done? I'd gone behind Bryn's back, and made friends with my enemy-an enemy who might even now be sabotaging Cedar Ridge.

I looked up into Alex's face and saw worry etched along his forehead. He knew who Jaimes was, and was as eager to get back as me.

Bryn had to know about this. Now.

"Thanks, Maddy." I gabbled quickly, springing to my feet. "We'd- er- better go."

But the invalid wasn't listening- instead, she was talking in a rapid undertone to Lily, who was nodding thoughtfully, intent on those large brown eyes.

_Lily! We've gotta go! _I called to her, and saw her head snap up. She listened for a couple more seconds, and then leaned over to give Maddy a gentle hug. "See you later, Mads." She said quietly. "I've missed you."

I'd forgotten that they'd both been kidnapped by Andreo; Lily must have been tiny when it had happened.

"Wait, wait." Casey interjected, looking up sharply. "You're going now? Can't you- stay for a bit?"

"No." I almost sprinted past him through the still-open door. The cool, still night wrapped around me like a blanket, sharp pine scents flaring in the shadowed air. I took a deep, steadying breath, willing myself to stay human for a little bit longer, to deny the change that was thrumming a tattoo to the rhythm of my heart. Just 'til Alex and Lily came out...

I pressed my eyelids together, trying to force the wolf back. My canines slowly started to lengthen in my mouth. A prickling on my back told me that fur was starting to creep down my spine. My ears started to hurt as they began to change shape...

A hand grabbed my shoulder; I whirled, snarling- only to find Casey there, shock dilating his eyes.

"Ah...thorry." I gasped, taking a swift step backwards. Where were the other two?

"Can't you stay a bit longer?" He pleaded. The hand didn't budge from my shoulder as he stared at me, his half-feral daughter.

"Can't." I said shortly. Just that one word took a lot of concentration. I wasn't used to holding the change back, and that was making life really hard at the moment.

"You're Stone River. You were born here. You're my daughter. It's your right to stay here." He insisted. "Wait!"

Anger sprang up in me, quick and sharp, driving the urge back for a few precious seconds. "You haven't seen us for two years!" I hissed at him. "We had to come to you! Some father you are. I don't even share a pack bond with you. And for your information, there was a reason mum left Stone River. I am Cedar Ridge, and I would die rather than alter that!"

I spotted Alex and Lily hurrying down the steps. What had taken them so long? Whatever. I couldn't hang around any longer. I let myself go.

Agony pulsed through my body as I surrendered to the change, driving a rusty nail through my brain and spreading a mist behind my eyes. I whimpered; the pain was getting worse and worse. Red blotches burst in front of my vision and I swayed where I stood.

Just when I thought that I'd rather die than endure _that_ one second longer, it subsided, leaving me whimpering on the forest floor. Knees trembling, I heaved myself up onto all fours. I was wolf, at least.

Everyone's eyes were on me. I snarled at them, hot with rage and humiliation. Then I sprinted off into the trees, heading for home, leaving Alex, Lily and my father behind.

* * *

The forest blurred around me as I streaked towards home, following the scent trail we'd left on our way here. Nothing mattered but the stretch and pull of my muscles and the rasp of my breath in my ears, driving me onwards with nothing but the moon for guidance. Every shadow made me tense with fear, and every mouse made me jumpy. So jumpy, in fact, that I killed several of them in sheer panic before realising what they were. I didn't eat them, though- I hated mouse. Too stringy by half.

Soon, the clear, familiar scents of home wrapped around me like a blanket, drawing me over the border and into my territory. I flopped down and rolled around in the undergrowth for a while, trying to get rid of the disgusting Stone River smell that clung to every hair on my body. When I smelled passably Cedar-Ridgey (i.e. like cedars and the heavy, dark earth that they grew on), I pulled myself up to all fours again- just in time to see my two partners in crime crunch through the brush towards me.

I pricked my ears forward in a wolfy greeting, and went low on my belly in apology- especially to Alex, whom I'd practically abandoned to face my father alone. He dropped the two rucksacks he'd been holding- oops, one was mine- and touched noses with me. Lily, the small, russet wolf, sniffed my earthy fur curiously.

_You smell sick. _She said to me. I flattened ears at her, offended, before nabbing the rucksack and going behind the trees to change. Thankfully, the transformation back didn't hurt too badly, and as everything jumped into focus, I leant back against a rough pine trunk and tested the pack-bond cautiously. Sophie, who was nearest to me, was having _too_ much of a good time, if anything- her vision swaying alarmingly as she downed another cider. No panic about our disappearance there. I spread my consciousness further out. Most of the Weres were gathered in the training ground, for reasons unknown, though the children were in bed and Matt was chatting up some Desert Leaf girl. Huh. Typical.

_Katie! _Bryn's voice thundered into my brain like a runaway express train. Oh, no! _Where have you _been? _Wake up, cloth head! I've been calling you for about ten minutes!_

Ten minutes didn't sound too bad. _Sorry, Bryn. But I've found something really important out. Do you know-_

_Tell me later! I nominated you as my fighter for tonight!_

Oh, please let this not be happening. I took stock of my various aching muscles and bruises, and winced.

_Actually, Bryn, I don't really feel-_

_That's an order, Kate. I've already announced your name. Don't bring my knives; you'll be using steel ones._

Oh, goody. I might have thought that this'd happen. Were Challenges normally cropped up at parties or big events. Basically, it was a chance for the different packs to show off how good their fighters were and to win some respect/glory for the person involved. Normally, I'd be buzzing for it; now, I felt less keen.

But I couldn't disobey the alpha- apart from anything else, it'd make her look bad in front of the other packs and show weakness. I couldn't let that happen at all.

'_Kay, coming. _I shimmied my dirty skin into clothes- throwing my black hoodie on top- and tried to make my hair look as though it hadn't been dragged backwards through a hedge- which, in a way, it had been. Finally realising that my hair wasn't going to lie flat any time soon, I tied it back in a ponytail and went to tell Alex and Lily the bad news.

"I've got to go; Bryn just nominated me as her fighter for tonight." I told them, giving Alex my rucksack. "Can you put this in my bedroom?"

"_What_?" Alex's eyes widened and he ran a hand through his hair, rumpling it even further. "Why you? D'you want me to go instead?"

"She's already announced my name. Dunno why." I shrugged. "But I'd better go. Thanks for coming, Al, Lily. Go party. Get smashed." I grinned at them. "I'll try and tell Bryn about Jaimes whilst I get a pep talk."

Lily smiled worriedly, and darted forwards to give me a hug. "Be careful!"

"Will do." I blew them a kiss, and then darted down the hill, tucking one of Bryn's knives into my boots.

Just in case.

* * *

There weren't many people left on the way over to the arena, though I noticed that Eric and the Desert Leaf girl had mysteriously vanished. It was situated a little way into the forest, in a shallow, sandy basin ringed by broad-trunked pines. Normally it was tranquil, peaceful, an easy place to relax and calm down after a stressful day. Now, though, it was thronged with so many people that it made me balk just looking at the arena. Scents and sounds mingled in the air, tangling up and hitting me so hard that I wanted to scream. Talk about culture shock!

"Katie!" Bryn dived out of the crowd at exactly the right time to stop me wheeling around and running off. She leapt forwards and hugged me hard. "You ready for this?"

"Er, no." I admitted, casting a wary eye around the crowd. Which one of them, I wondered, would be my challenger?

Bryn bit her lip. "I'm sorry I had to choose you." She told me, apology written all over her face. "But you're one of the best fighters we have, and I have to show people that I can control my pack. Because of that scene you made in the café."

Whoa, whoa, whoa. This wasn't my fault! I opened my mouth furiously- but then Devon stepped out of the crowd looking beyond angry and the words died then and there in my throat and I forgot what I was going to say.

_Not now. _I pleaded with him mentally, a cold ball of panic forcing its way past the frantic rhythm of my heart- Bryn didn't know I'd been away for two hours. I guessed that Mr. Anger Management in front of me did, though. _Wait until after I've been killed in the challenge- you can tell me off then. Kill me twice._

His mouth twitched infinitesimally. Strangely, that made me feel a whole lot better.

"You two okay?" I jumped- I'd forgotten about Bryn. She was watching us with a look of complete bewilderment on her face.

"Er- yeah." I said quickly, not looking at Calvin-Klein-goes-evil opposite me. "Yeah, sure. Just nervous. Who's my opponent?"

"I thought you'd like this." She said brightly. "It's Snake. You know, the one you always hang out with. Jaimes suggested him."

An explosion of disbelief denoted in the pit of my stomach, and I stared hopelessly at my older sister, who was still beaming at me. What was Jaimes going to do whilst everyone was distracted? Oh, this day just got better and better.

My shock rolled over the other two, and they stiffened at it swamped them. Chase magically appeared next to Bryn, hands hovering protectively over her shoulders, and Devon lifted his upper lip in the barely-disguised suggestion of a snarl.

_What's wrong? _Bryn asked me urgently, but before I could answer, Ridley called out across the arena. "Let the challenger for Cedar Ridge step forward!"

No more time, no more time! I frantically sent all of my thoughts at the other three in a hopeless jumble of memories and feelings, before turning and bashing my way through the expectant Weres towards where my newly-found enemy was waiting for me. I couldn't back out of the fight- there was a bond that had to be sealed. Bryn knew it; Devon knew it; I knew it.

Snake faced me, a half-smile on his face. I studied him anew in the half-light just before dawn. Had he always seemed so...so menacing?

A pair of knife handles appeared in my line of vision. I grasped the hilts without thinking, balancing the blade on my finger. Slightly off, but they'd do. I glanced sideways, into Lake's cornflower-blue eyes. "Be careful." She whispered. And then a smile slid across her face. "And kick his ass!"

Snake stepped forwards. "Do you challenge me, Cedar Ridge?"

A murmur swept through the crowd when they realised that me- a _girl, _shock horror!- would be the challenger. I raised my chin.

"I do, Stone River."

_Good luck, Katie. _Devon's voice whispered through my brain. _We're onto Jaimes. So now you can win!_

Snake stepped forwards; so did I. The world shrank to the size of the arena. I wasn't in control anymore- I was just a passenger, following an ancient ritual that had been happening before my great-grandfather had been born. We extended forearms.

Snake slashed his nail viciously across my skin. I willed myself not to show pain as the stripe of fire slashed at my willpower. I did the same- I bet it hurt a lot more, with my stubby blunt nails- and the Challenge was sealed.

"And so we begin." Bryn's voice, in the deep timbre of the alpha, lashed the final strings of our willpower to the arena. I rocked back on my heels, snapping the knife hilts to my palms and adopting the stalker's tread. Snake did the same. I could sense where he was and vice versa. A temporary bond of sorts connected us, which would last the length of the battle, until one of us surrendered. I stared into his eyes. No longer friends; only opponents.

And so we began.

Snake was the first to strike- a quick leap forwards and two slashes up and down with his blades. I jumped backwards, parrying his first blade- but I wasn't fast enough for the second, which scored a shallow trail across my belly. Bright red oozed through the rip in my shirt. Snake smiled through slitted eyes. The crowd hissed and jeered.

First blood to him.

The cut healed over, but the sting remained.

I tried a couple of stabs and slashes, using the pine tree as leverage, and practising all of Bryn's techniques, but it soon became clear that Snake was a master of fighting. I was hopelessly outclassed, and it was all I could do to fight off his advances. It was only a matter of time.

That matter of time came from my stumble after a particularly vicious swipe from Snake. He grinned savagely- not my friend at all- and for the first time, I felt a spike of fear stab through the adrenaline. He could seriously hurt me!

Panicked, I lashed out- with both my knives and my mind. For a moment, my vision blurred and doubled, and I saw through both my eyes and Snake's. I pushed harder, and his eyes clouded over momentarily, before his mind withdrew with a snap. He barely escaped my frantic uppercut, jerking a parry in place just in time.

Then he lunged at me, pinning me against a tree with the blade. Both knives flew out of my hands and clattered uselessly on the sand. I gasped in pain- all my bruises and cuts throbbed at once- and all my attention focussed on the thin razor-edge of steel. For the second time that night.

"Shall we see how much you can stomach?" He murmured, pushing deeper. Oh, my god. His eyes were feral, savage. My eyes blurred with sweat and tears. I was trapped! He was going to kill me! Until...until I surrendered.

No! I wouldn't; couldn't. Shouldn't.

I dug deep for that last spike of energy, drawing a deep breath around the blade. Then I forced it through the bond we shared and straight into his mind, hammering a devastating blow. His eyes unfocussed; he swore and swiped a hand across them.

"What have you done, you little-"

I lunged forwards, snatching up a knife again, and rushing to pin him to the floor. Then pain rushed through me in a wave, all my energy deserted me at once and I collapsed to the floor.

I could do nothing but whimper as Snake moved forwards and almost casually took the blade from my hand, putting it back against my throat again.

All my adrenaline left me with a crash.

The fight was over.


	9. The Discoveries

**Hey, sorry I haven't been writing for a while. Two stories on the go is never a good idea. Chick 1966- er no promises but I'll see what I can do. Bit busy at the moment, but after I finish the story it'll be less stressy :P Anyway, enjoy! Read, review :)  
**

* * *

After that, everything was blurry and confused. I must have blacked out several times, because all I remembered was someone carrying me across the grass, next to the grey glimmer of the lake towards my cabin. I distinctly recalled the swish of my arms and hair, the embarrassing loll of my head and (horrors!) some indistinct mumbling, and at the same time vaguely hoping that it was only Alex who was taking me home.

Then- velvety blackness again.

Eventually, things started making sense. I surfaced from the deep dark pit of sleep into a light strewn room; my foggy brain processed the wolf posters on my ceiling, and gradually came to accept that it was my room that was lying in. Good.

"Katie? Katie! Thank god!"

A huge mass flew at me and attached itself to my arm. I inhaled deeply, cinnamon and pine suffusing every nerve. Bryn.

"Hey, sis."

"How _are _you? We've been so worried! I'm so, so sorry, Katie- I should never have let you fight Snake!"

I blinked blearily. Every bone was leaden with tiredness. "No...s'okay." There was something else...something important that I had to say. Something to do with a Were...curly hair...blue eyes...

"We went after Jaimes, but he'd disappeared by the time we started searching." Bryn confessed. Ah, that was it. "But we've put double patrols out. Snake said he'd alert us if he started sniffing around again- he's got contacts all over."

I managed an 'uh' in response. Why was I so tired? It was so irritating-I had to get up and do something! But when I tried, my body didn't seem to want to move from the bed.

Bryn looked down at me again, brown eyes crinkling with worry. "Don't try and get out of bed, it's not gonna work. I know what you're thinking. Katie, there's something seriously wrong with you. We had Mitch come take a look at you- he said it's like you're being poisoned..." she bit her lip, worrying it between her teeth. "Poisoned, but really slowly. Have you eaten anything that Ali hasn't cooked?"

Slowly, I shook my head. Nope. Why would I? My mum made a mean casserole.

"Also, you, my crazy sister, went off into Stone River territory- whilst extremely ill- and decided to confront Callum, Casey, and... and Maddy at the same time! Callum came to see me whilst you were unconscious, by the way. Apparently, your father is spitting tacks about your snub earlier. He is _not _happy, Kate. I told him you'd apologise."

I glared at her. She raised her hands in a 'don't blame me' sort of way that only big sisters could successfully pull off. "Hey! You went into Stone River territory with only Alex and Lily! I _was _going to give you a telling off, but you look so ill I'll save it 'til later."

She leaned over and gave me a hug.

"Who took me home?"

"Devon." She said, winding a lock of chestnut hair round and round her finger. I watched it spin around and around- it was quite hypnotic, actually. "He barged into the circle and snatched you up, then kind of shoved everyone else out of the way and carried you off home. Good thinking on his part- all hell broke loose after you left, with the search for Jaimes and all."

I smiled at her, but couldn't suppress a pang of- annoyance? Despair?- something. Was that all I was to him? 'Good thinking'? Well, wasn't that just great!

"Anyway," Bryn said, oblivious to my discomfort. "Better go; things to sort out with the pack. Alex is on patrol but he'll come see you later. I'm going out now too, actually. Get better soon, KitKat. Love you!" She dropped a kiss onto my forehead and swept out of the room, every inch the alpha.

I stared up at the ceiling for about five minutes, furious with myself for my weakness. Poison? Who was poisoning me? Why? Was I going to _die? _No! I wouldn't let that happen. There had to be something I could do...

There was a soft knock on the doorjamb. Irritation flickered through me; how had I not heard Alex creeping up? That was a fast patrol.

"Katie? Can I come in?"

That was _not _Alex. Surprise lent me strength; I looked up to see both Devon and Snake standing just outside my room, hands awkwardly jammed into pockets. Heh. Boys. I could practically see the tension rolling off them in waves- these two were _not _happy being in the same space as each other.

My eyes flicked from Snake's dark, curly hair to Devon's ruffled, brown locks. I knew which one I preferred, and he was looking at me in a way that suggested to him I was merely 'good thinking'.

Whoa, Katie, get a grip on yourself!

"Yeah. Er, come on then."

Both strolled in; Snake perched on the end of my bed, whilst Devon leaned against the wall. I forced myself into a sitting position, gritting my teeth against my lack of strength.

Before I could say anything, Snake launched straight into a speech. "Katie, I'm so sorry about what I did in the arena. I just got carried away; I didn't mean anything by it. You know how it goes- instinct takes over. I'm really, really sorry."

Devon curled his lip in the merest suggestion of a snarl, but I was relieved to see the friend I recognised in Snake again. Though I didn't want to trust him as readily as beforehand, now I knew about the savage beast lurking underneath his skin. "No, that's fine. Have you found Jaimes?"

Mr Tall and Brooding spoke up reluctantly this time, sending my heart into jitters without my permission.

"No. We've been sending out messages to Stone River, Desert Leaf, all the packs we know and we've been running extra patrols. No sign of him."

"How did you know it was him?" Snake interjected, leaning forwards. His eyes pierced mine, and I looked away uncomfortably. His interest was rather unsettling.

"Well, I...went to Stone River. Callum told me that the camp was deserted; someone had been putting silver dust in the drinking supplies. You know, sabotage. The whole pack was forced to move except for Maddy, who was injured and couldn't."

"What did Maddy say?" Snake asked, as at exactly the same moment Devon yelped "_What?!" _

"Er, one at a time. Devon first. Yeah, the camp was moved to a secret location. Yeah, I think your parents are fine. Your dad is, anyway. I ran into him. Acts like you- as in, grumpy. As for Maddy..."

I briefly filled them both in on what Maddy had told us. Devon looked pleased she was alive; not so pleased about the rest. Snake was more worried that Luke had had a brother- a brother who could still be on the loose.

"What are we going to do now?" I asked them both.

"Well, there's a one-woman patrol leaving at two-thirty- we're a bit thin on the ground, so Bryn will have to do the northern boundary near Stone River on her own. There's another who'll do the west side and be back for about four. And we'll just carry on like that, I suppose. Don't worry, Katie."

"I'll worry if I want to, thank you very much!"

"I'd better go now." Snake said hastily. My bed heaved upwards as he practically leapt off it- not wanting to witness our little spat, I guessed. "See you later, alligator."

"In a while, Snake." I grinned at him. He flashed through the door in a blur of speed, and was gone, leaving us on our own. Devon heaved a deep sigh, and moved to sit on my bed in Snake's place. The bed creaked downwards again.

"How are you feeling, KitKat?"

"Why does everyone keep calling me that? I thought I'd grown out of _that _nickname."

He grinned wickedly. "It's 'cos you're so adorable."

"In a kitten and duckling way, yes. I'm supposed to be a vicious predator."

He chuckled at that, and an answering smile fought its way onto my face. "Still cracking jokes?" I snapped at him.

"Still mistaking blue for grey?"

"There _isn't _a colour blue!" I groaned, smacking my fist against the duvet. "You're worse than Snake!"  
That wiped the smile off his face fast. "What happened in the arena?"

"I dunno." I sighed. "I'm supposed to be poisoned. I can't even get out of bed! Can you imagine how frustrating that is for me?"

"I meant before. When you were fighting, he had you pinned...pinned against the tree. Then he staggered backwards. You didn't touch him. What did you do?"

I frowned. Was this a trick question? But I could sense- both from his face and through the pack-bond- that he was genuinely curious. Well, I'd just have to give him an honest answer.

"I kind of- I don't know- forced my mind through the bond. Onto him. I saw- it was like I _was _him, for a second. Then his eyes went dazed, and he started swearing and leaping about."

Devon bit his lip. It was incredibly distracting.

"Could you... try it on me?"

_What!? _

"_What!?" _

"I'm serious! Maybe it's a kind of defence mechanism. Maybe it's not a fluke. Come on; try it!"  
I stared at him; he stared back. Should I? More to the point, could I?

"Katie, I'm giving you permission to cause me an injury. I thought you'd leap at the chance!"

"Fine, fine!" I grumbled. "Okay...I'm warning you, nothing might happen."

"I think I can live with the consequences."

Sighing, I took a deep breath, trying to recreate the adrenaline of the fight scene. I'd been angry, frightened...I'd lashed out through the pack-bond. I'd tried to manipulate his mind, but had ended up kind of forcing him to see the way I saw.

I gritted my teeth, and tentatively poked his mind with my mind. To my surprise, he giggled. "That tickles!"

Oops.

"Try harder, Katie. That was the mental equivalent of prodding me in the ribs."

I didn't want to.

"You're hopeless." Devon said suddenly and viciously. I started back in shock. "How are you ever going to help the pack if you can't do one simple thing? You can't defeat Snake, let alone any other pack! You're going to cause Cedar Ridge serious problems in the future, all because of your weakness."

I couldn't do anything but stare at him. Shock turned to confusion turned to anger in the space of a heartbeat, and I lashed out savagely- with everything I had- because I was _not, was not _a failure. I was _not!_

My vision blurred again- for a moment, I saw myself, paper white except for two red splotches high on my cheekbones, glaring- and then I was me again. Devon, though, staggered backwards, gasping. With a jolt, I saw that his eyes were unfocussed, dreamy, almost _blind looking._

"Aah!"

"Devon! Oh my god, I'm so sorry!"

"I- I can't see! I'm blind! I can't see!" He staggered around the room, snarls rippling up his spine, helplessly, hopelessly incapacitated. I'd never seen him so panicked before, and it was terrifying to watch.

I reached again for the pack-bond, horrified, and, hardly knowing what I was doing, withdrew deep into my own mind, throwing up the walls, shutting him out and (hopefully) shutting me out too.

Finally, his eyes snapped back into focus, brown eyes latching onto mine. For a long moment, we stared at each other.

"Well, I guess it works." I offered. His face- still white with shock- twitched into a half smile in reply. "Are you alright?"

"Just about, yeah. Yeah. What about you?"

I slapped him- as hard as I could manage- around the face. His head snapped to the side, and he goggled at me. "_What was that for?"  
_"Don't you dare say that I'm weak ever again, Devon McAllister!"

"Ah...no. Sorry, Katie! I had to try and well, inspire you."

"I can be inspired without your 'help'! I'm strong! I...well, I have a superpower!"

"Watch out, here comes Wolfgirl!"

"Hell, yeah!" I punched the air, grinned at him- letting him know that I'd accepted the apology- and shifted my hair- sticky and lank with sweat and sleeping on it and god knows what else- out of my face.

Devon turned to smile at me- and then curiosity shifted across his face.

"You're getting that Sherlock Holmes look again." I told him.

"Yeah...Katie, when did you get your ears done?"

What did that have to do with anything? "About two weeks ago. Why is that important?"

He reached forwards, through the strands of blonde, and touched one of my studs gently. I inhaled earth and mint. But then, either from surprise- or pain- or both, I flinched backwards ears throbbing painfully. "Ow!"

They should have healed by now. Snake said they should have healed by now. This wasn't right at all...the only reason that they wouldn't would be because they were contaminated. The only thing that could contaminate Weres...was silver.

"Oh, no." I gasped. Mitch had been right. I _was _getting poisoned. All through my own stupidity- Snake had given me these studs. They hadn't been done by anyone inside the pack at all...and ever since then, I had been getting weaker, and weaker, and weaker...

We stared at each other, slack jawed, brown eyes meeting grey.

"Katie..." Devon whispered.

But before I could say anything, my ears- and pack-bond- were filled with a terrified, piercing scream.

I knew that scream.

Bryn.


	10. The Revelations

"Bryn!" I yelled, as the scream faded from my ears. Shock and terror was still filtering through the pack bond, but weaker now, as though she was getting further away...dying...no. Bryn was _not _dying. The Bryn I knew wouldn't give up without a fight.

I sat upright with a jolt, throwing the covers off, desperation lending me strength. Fortunately for my modesty, I was wearing pyjamas, but I wasn't going outside in them. They had the fear factor of a bunny rabbit. With one hand, I tore my left earring out- and then started swearing like a sailor. It hurt like a silver dagger!- and with my other, I braced myself against the bed.

_Katie, what are you doing? _

I'd forgotten Devon was there. He was staring at me, wide eyed, his concern battling with the desire to go and help his alpha. Well, he could go if he liked. I needed to get to the same place as him.

_Going to help Bryn. _Neither of us were wasting time talking. I fumbled for a grip on the other stud, gritted my teeth, and tore that one out too. I swore even more creatively; Devon snarled reflexively as the backlash from my pain rippled through the pack bond.

_You can't go like this..._

I sent him a rude image, and heaved myself upwards off the bed with a grunt. Already the wounds were closing over, starting to heal the damage. I would have liked another hour or so to rest, but that wasn't an option. I had to get to Bryn- had to get to her before Snake finished with her. I had to put right what I'd put wrong before- making her trust him had been the biggest mistake of my life.

_Katie, stop! _Devon's hand clamped onto my wrist. I wobbled on my feet, before glancing upwards. He was shivering on the brink of the change, but a weird mix of worry and anger bubbled through his thoughts like bubbles in a champagne bottle. I met his dark eyes steadily, though. Calm, rational thinking was what was needed here.

"What's the matter, Devon?"

"You can't- go and help Bryn. You're too weak!"

"Dammit, Devon McAllister. You can't stop me- I'll climb out of the window if I have to. She's my sister and I've got to go and help her. Anyway, I feel better already."

That last bit was true, by the way. I'd only been out of bed about two minutes, but already I wasn't wobbling on my feet anymore. I was regaining my balance; I felt oddly light and free, as though I'd been struggling to carry something for the past week or two and had had the burden taken away from me. Whoop-de-doo.

"Get out of the room, I've got to go and change. You're not seeing me naked, no matter how weak I am."

"Such a shame." He quipped, before doing what I said- for once- and heading out of the room.

"You're not leaving?" I yelled after him, suddenly worried.

"What, and leave you to totter after me? I think you've forgotten that I am _the _knight in shining armour. Although you don't technically count as a damsel in distress, you'd probably punch me if I left anyway."

Well, that was true. I shut the door and quickly shucked on a pair of canvas camouflage trousers and a dark green top. Maybe they'd help me to blend in. Shoes were useless; just extra baggage if I wanted to shift. If I still could.

I was just about to leave when something shiny and silver winked at me out of the corner of my eye. The hilt of Bryn's old silver knife was poking out of my discarded rucksack. I grabbed it- and its partner- before nabbing about five cereal bars and a bottle of water from my shelf (essentials for any Were). I gripped the handles tight, willing them to tell me that Bryn was safe, that she wasn't hurt. No answer came, so I tucked them into my belt, chasing them with one of my own, shorter knives. Right. I was armed and dangerous.

Let's go.

I pushed the door open and stepped out into the dark corridor. "Right, come on."  
"Katie?"

Oooops. I turned around slowly, leaning against the doorframe for support. "Mum?"

Ali was standing in front of the kitchen. A teatowel was lying on the floor next to her- presumably where she'd dropped it. Her blonde hair contrasted very strikingly with her white face.

"What are you doing out of bed?" She looked pretty drawn too- I guessed she'd heard Bryn's scream as well, and having your daughter on her deathbed one moment and up and about the next would understandably be a fairly stressful day of motherhood.

I looked her square in the eyes. "Mum, I've got to go and get Bryn. It's Snake- he's the traitor- I'm the only one who might have any chance of getting to him."

She bit her lip, worrying it between her teeth in a way so characteristic of Bryn that I was taken aback. I was fully prepared for a teeth-bared argument, so was shocked when she heaved a deep sigh, and stepped forwards, enfolding me in a uniquely Mum hug- all flour and perfume and cinnamon. I bit my tongue to keep my eyes from prickling.

"My little girl's grown up." She sighed into my ear. I buried my face in her jumper, not wanting to listen. "KitKat- get Bryn and bring her home safe. But be careful."

"Love you, Mum."

"I love you too, sugarplum." She stepped backwards and kissed me on the forehead, like a blessing. "Take Alex with you. And Devon. If anyone will look after you, it's him."

"What? Nothing's going on, Mum."

"If you say so." In spite of everything she gave me a knowing little half smile. "Go on, darling. Go save the day."

"Will do." I gave her a grin, ignoring my suspiciously wet eyes- and what she'd said about Devon- kissing her cheek, before heading through the kitchen and out into the open air. The cold sharp air knifed my lungs and I gulped it down- it felt like too long since I'd been outdoors, free like this. Devon was waiting outside, slouched against the wall, looking rather like this autumn's poster boy. The dark fronds of his hair brushed a hell of a good set of cheekbones and framed his fiercely determined face. I sighed internally, then told myself to get a grip. No love! Remember?

I was certainly starting to forget it.

"What you staring at, KitKat?"

"Er- nothing." I flushed scarlet and busied myself tearing into a cereal bar. Aah- oaty bliss! Mr. Autumn watched me until I'd finished the second one, and then flexed his fingers. "Shall we get going?"

"Yeah."

"Just tell me when you get tired."

"Mmm." Fat chance.

As we took off, a light jog developing into a run, I gritted my teeth against my wobbly legs and yelled for Alex inside my head.

_AL! _

_Katie! What- where are you? Are you okay? What the hell's going on? Are you _outside_? _

_Yeah- hard to explain. Bryn's hurt- run around and follow her scent would you?_

_Why-_

_DO IT!_

_Okay, okay. On my way. Jeesh, sisters._

_Heard that. Jeesh, brothers. _

We sprinted through the trees human- well, superhumans according to our speed. The trees blurred; it was just like running patrol again. Funny how well we worked together now, even human- exchanging viewpoints, smells, sounds on the way. Funny how I enjoyed it now.

The energy from the cereal bars was starting to hit by the time Alex showed us a picture of him running towards a high, rocky point just next to the Stone River border. He thought Bryn was close, judging by her scent, and we sped up accordingly, me thanking god for the miracle of oats.

In the end, we almost tripped over Bryn. She was lying huddled on the forest floor, half covered by a thin layer of pine needles. The rusty tang of blood lay thick like a blanket over the entire scene, almost making me gag. My lips peeled back from my teeth of their own accord.

"Bryn!" Devon fell to his knees next to his alpha's body. "Bryn, speak to me!" Frantically, he brushed needles from her body, checking her body for the source of the bleeding. I followed him, bending down and checking her pulse with clumsy fingers.

Thank god- thank god!- a faint pulse still beat. Just as I made the discovery, Bryn took a deep, rasping breath- and another- convulsing against the forest floor. I touched her shoulder gently –and my fingers came away stained red. The injury was here.

"Devon." He saw where I was pointing and ripped the material of the shirt, exposing the shoulder blade completely. A deep, dark, vicious gash spread across the pale flesh, spilling poppy red down her arm and soaking into the spongy floor.

He swore viciously under his breath, just as Alex arrived over the ridge, a pale blonde wolf at his shoulder- Lake, who whimpered on seeing her alpha so badly injured. I took a deep breath to steady my spinning head, and inhaled the smells of the forest. Blood, Bryn, us- a faint, sour-milk smell that I recognised. Snake had been here- he _had _injured my sister.

A harsh ripping sound brought me back to reality. I glanced around to see Devon tearing his shirt in two, forming a rough tourniquet which he tied over his alpha's shoulder, partially stopping the bleeding. Though he was as gentle as he could be, Bryn moaned with pain, eyelids fluttering.

"Bryn?" I moved forwards, cupping her head and moving it onto my lap. "You okay, sis?"

"Aah..." Her eyes fluttered, blearily focussing on me. "Katie..."

"Bryn, did Snake do this?"

"...Yeah. He's going to Stone River. Aah...hurts..." She hissed through her teeth.

"You'll be okay." I promised her, mind spinning. Snake going to Stone River? Snake hurting Bryn?

Why? The only threats Bryn had had over the past weeks was the letter...and now she'd been punished. Maddy. The whole thing was linked to Maddy somehow. I pressed my palms into my forehead, spreading blood across my face. Why? Why?

She had told us about Jaimes...Luca's pack mate. What else had she said? Who else was involved?

"_I travelled- for a while- with an old member of Luc...Lucas' pack. I told him that he'd died, and he flipped. He was furious...but I don't think he was entirely sane to begin with. Good at faking it, though. He wanted revenge-swore it. He said that he'd tell Lucas' brother all about it."_

Oh, hell.

Jaimes had had an accomplice. Luca's brother?

"Devon. What did Lucas look like?"

He looked up distractedly. "Er...dark curly hair..." Snake had dark curly hair.

"...green eyes, scrawny." Check, check.

"Scarred. Fearful, calculating." Calculating? _Calculating_? We had a lead!

"Guys, I know where Snake's gone, and where Jaimes is."

That caught their attention. All eyes fixed on me- three sets of wolf eyes. I took a deep breath. "We have to go to Maddy's house outside Stone River's old camp." Maddy. The last link to Lucas. Of course Snake and Jaimes would reconvene there.

_How quick we gonna be? _That was Lake, strategizing as always.

I answered slowly, thinking it through. "If I go ahead with Devon, to head them off. Lake- you need to warn Callum's pack that there are two Rogues in their old camp who are probably responsible for poisoning them. Al- take Bryn back ASAP and get Cedar Ridge to come after us."

_Will do. Hope she doesn't mind being carried by her naked brother._

_I don't think she minds anything at the moment. _

Devon had glanced up at having his name mentioned. I glanced at him worriedly. "Do you mind coming with me?" I felt I needed him there. To my indescribable relief, he shook his head. That decision must have cost him- I felt how much he wanted to help Bryn, and felt doubly guilty.

_Are you strong enough to go after them, Katie?_

"Yes." I said it aloud, just to make it even truer. I didn't feel too weak. Not at all. "I have to do this."  
"Okay, let's go." Devon jumped to his feet, hands stained as red as a butcher's.

I flashed him a grateful glance and followed his lead. "See you guys as soon as I can."

Alex trotted up to me and licked my face. _Good luck, Katie. _

I ran my hand over his huge furry head. _Same to you._

And with that, me and Devon took off into the trees.

* * *

The way to Stone River was clearly marked by Snake's scent, and we made quick progress through the twisting trees- though I was forced to make a quick stop for water and another cereal bar to calm my shaking legs.

Finally, the dark clearing in front of Maddy's house came into view. Devon stopped abruptly, breathing in deeply, nostrils flared.

"You alright?" I asked him.

"Just never thought I'd see this place again."

Of course, I forgot he used to be Stone River. I ran my hand through my hair nervously. "Well, this is it."

"Yeah. I guess it is."

I looked sideways at him in the light speckled shadow. He wasn't looking at me, but at Maddy's house. "In case I'm injured...or worse." He said, slowly, "I want you to do something for me."

"Uh-huh." I said, waiting.

He turned to face me fully, then, and looked slap-bang into my eyes. "Katie..."

"You are the worst knight in shining armour ever." I blurted before being able to stop myself.

He grinned. "Let me finish."

"I don't think I want you to." My runaway mouth was on a roll; I would have thought it was nerves, but I never got nervous.

"Argh!" He ran a hand through his hair too. "You are the limit!"

His anger sparked off mine, and I rocked backwards on my heel, staring challengingly into his face. It was good to feel fury instead of jittering nerves- to forget what was waiting inside the still, quiet cottage.

"Yeah? Say something else for a change!"

"Katherine, you are the most beautiful, headstrong, crazy determined girl I've ever had the misfortune to meet."

And with that, he stepped forwards, linked one hand through my hair, leaned forwards and kissed me full on the mouth.


	11. The Showdown

**Hey peeps. This is getting to the climax! Please tell me what you think, otherwise it won't get better. Thank you! **

The instant he touched me, I forgot everything else. Butterflies burst to life in my stomach; heat flared in my veins; I smiled against his mouth. Devon pulled away slightly, enough that I could look into his mahogany eyes, which were dancing mischievously.

"You fight extremely dirty, McAllister."

"It's always been a shortcoming of mine." He grinned as well, securing his hand in my hair. "You don't mind? I know that I haven't exactly been-"

"Shut up." I didn't want to talk any more- instead, gently, experimentally, I tilted my head up, brushed his lips with mine. My hands drifted upwards, securing themselves around his neck. It felt like we were standing in our own little puddle of sunshine, a little bubble of happiness which threw everything else into fuzziness and unimportance. For the first time, I completely understood Alex's fascination with Lily. But I didn't care about that right now. I didn't care about anything.

Our incandescent little moment popped like a soap sud, though, when the strangled scream from the cottage pierced it. I gasped as colt reality flooded in, shockingly brutal, snapping me back to our mission in the first place. With it came the truth: Maddy wasn't involved at all- Jaimes and Snake were there to kill her instead.

"Dammit!" I huffed, hefting Bryn's knives from my belt whilst Devon, next to me, swore loudly and brutally. I spun on my heel- the adrenaline from the kiss was flooding through my system, giving me extra strength and making me feel invincible.

Only Devon's grip on my wrist stopped me- he swung me around to face him again, expression set. "You're not going in there."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I am. Why not?"

"Because...because..." I saw him struggle for answers, but I saw it loud and clear in his mind- he didn't want me to go into danger. I swallowed past the lump in my throat, and faced him directly.

"I'm not just a helpless damsel in distress. I'm a fighter, I'm a Were girl. I was trained by Bryn. You can come with me, or not."

He gritted his teeth, my stubbornness driving him to breaking point as normal. "You... I'm coming."

"Thank you." I said quietly, before leaning up and kissing him gently. "Come on, then. Let's go kick butt."

Together, we sprinted towards the cottage- it wasn't that far- keeping footfalls as quiet as possible. I vaulted the railing, landing on the balls of my feet (not easy when carrying knives in both hands), whilst my partner in crime cleared the steps in one. We faced each other on either side of the door, listening hard.

_Ready, Katie?_

_Yeah._

_Be careful._

_You too._

_Well...three, two...one!  
_He threw the door open explosively- it smashed clean off its hinges and rocketed across the room, crashing to splinters against the kitchen worksurfaces, and sprinted in, me close on his heels.

Jaimes looked up from his place by Maddy's bed, from where he'd been pushing the pillow into her face. Shock dilated his pupils in the split second before The Terminator (a.k.a Mr Crazy) blitzed over, grabbed onto him and chucked him through the window.

Rolling my eyes, I ran over to where Maddy's body was lying prone on the mattress. Putting my knives to one side, I gently lifted the pillow off her face, praying it wasn't too late. She was as white as snow, apart from a steel-grey tint around her mouth. I got a blade and held it against her mouth, biting my lip.

"Maddy?" Stupid. She probably couldn't hear me.

Ever so faintly, the silver misted over with her breath. I gulped with relief- she was alive! Thank god! I could still make amends for letting Snake dupe the pack!

I stood up slowly- and then around twenty kilograms of angry Rogue smashed into my side, throwing me down onto the coffee table, which collapsed underneath me. Pain exploded across my back; something cracked- I screamed as Snake crashed down on top of me.

"Back again, Katie?" He snarled into my ear. I fumbled with my aching right hand on the floor, searching for the knife that I'd dropped. Where was it- _where was it?_

Snake's teeth snapped close to my ear; I jerked backwards and almost cried out again.

"You poisoned me!" I hissed, trying to buy time from him.

He laughed savagely; any traces of the old Snake I'd known were gone- perhaps they'd never been there at all. "Of course. Did you think I'd have you sniffing around for ever?"

Eventually, my fingers closed around the worn handle of Bryn's knife. I braced myself for an explosion of pain.

"Bastard!" I snarled, pulling my hand backwards and slashing across his face with the blade. Red striped his cheek- Snake roared in pain and reared upwards- I rolled out from underneath his stifling body and jumped to my feet, sprinting for the door. I was taking a chance, but that blessed thing, gut instinct, told me Snake would follow me instead of going for Maddy.

I stumbled down the steps, right leg pulsing slowly, sending unhelpful waves of pain to my brain. It was slippery with crimson- panicked, I glanced around for Devon. Where was he? Was he okay?

"You'll pay for that, half-breed."

I glanced around to see Snake clutching his eye where I'd scored across his face and holding Bryn's other knife in his hand. He advanced slowly towards me, threat written in every step.

Wolf instinct took over; I crouched and snarled viciously, teeth bared.

He laughed. "Always half feral, weren't you, whelp? Always running around, always wolf, always up for a challenge. Did it hurt when you couldn't Change any more?"

I half growled, half screamed at him. "Go to hell!"

Still his deceptively calm voice nagged at me, wearing me down like the ocean at a cliffside. "Don't you think that savage wolves should be put down?"

I lunged at him, pain forgotten. He easily dodged me, laughing, and light as a balloon on his feet despite everything.

He stopped laughing when I drove the dagger upwards, into his arm. Instead, he roared, bestial, and swung around with his hand. Bryn's knife arced towards me on the sunlit air, scoring a deep line across my ribs.

I skipped backwards, hand pressed against my ribs. "You're right- savage wolves should be put down. After all, you did poison me."

"Not just you." He coughed out. "The entire Stone River pack."

"What...oh. The silver dust..._why? How?"_

"Easy when you know how." He taunted me. "Get close to the pack, find a friend, become trusted...they never even saw it coming. As for the why...well, we needed Maddy alone, without the pack's influence, and she was too weak to move herself."

"_You _sent the letter." I accused him. "_You _attacked Bryn."

"Well, yes. Me and Jaimes."

"Aren't you going to tell me why?" We had established a circle, now- treading the dust in the clearing in a hunter's stalk, wary, waiting for one of us to strike.

"If you like." Snake gestured expressively with his knife. I'd never appreciated until now how apt his name was. "I never found out how Lucas- my brother, though I guess you've figured that out- died. I was staying with Stone River, when Maddy stumbled into camp, bleeding and half-dead. When I went to see her, she mistook me for Lucas." His mouth twisted. "She told me everything. And I got in contact with Jaimes, who knew her anyway."

"And you wanted revenge against Bryn. No, that's too mainstream. You wanted revenge against _everyone, _you psycho!"

"I sent Bryn the letter, I became friends with you. I've never known anyone so gullible." He grinned, but it was more like a snarl. I saw his canines start to lengthen; he was going to Change any minute now.

"But Maddy was innocent!"

"She was the reason that Lucas stayed! She was the reason he stayed with Cedar Ridge! She knew too much!"  
"No, that's not right-"

Too late; Snake dropped to the ground, body convulsing in the throes of the Change. I had no choice; had to do the same; no worries or second thoughts. Now that the silver wasn't poisoning me, it was easy- there was a brief moment of agony as my bones shifted and lengthened, clothes ripping to shreds, and I was in wolf form. It was gloriously, exhilaratingly easy.

Wolf, the world was simple. Snake's challenge thrummed in my veins and the need to strike back- to kill- dominated my brain. A scrawny, skinny wolf lunged at me across the circle- I snapped at him, circling back and sinking teeth into his tail. Snake yelped and snarled.

The fight increased in tempo- Snake raked a line across my back and I gave him a couple of tooth marks in return. Involuntary growls shook his body. I thought of nothing but the fight.

The pack bond was also clearer in this form. Through it, I could feel Devon's anxiety, his adrenaline, his excitement in the fight. He wasn't too far from here- about half a mile through the trees and judging by the anger thrilling in his blood, the fighting was getting pretty intense. Through Devon's eyes, I watched him- still human- pick up Jaimes (literally!) and throw him through the air. Jaimes hit a tree and collapsed to the floor. He didn't look like he was going to get up any time soon. Devon started to run- back to the clearing where I was having it out with my opponent.

My momentary lapse cost me- Snake seized the chance and lunged towards my throat. I jerked backwards, a thrill of fear spiking my blood, and his teeth closed on empty nothingness.

I skipped backwards, yelping- and found that my legs wouldn't hold me up anymore. Surprised, I collapsed to the dusty forest floor, no strength left at all. Despite my best efforts, my body refused to get up and _fight. _I was absolutely shattered.

Snake followed, stalking now. He could take his time: he could sense my weakness. I felt a spike of fear- wolves didn't give up, but the human side was scared. What would it feel like to die?

"Oi, scale brains. Get away from my Katie."

Devon! I raised my head and yipped feebly. The wolf in front of me snarled furiously and charged towards Devon- several kilograms of angry muscle and teeth. He'd underestimated Devon McAllister's strength though: a pure blood Were, immune to silver, wickedly strong, and wickedly skilled with any kind of weapon you cared to name.

They collided with a crunch of fur and muscle, and I looked away, not wanting to see. Instead, I summoned every little bit of strength I had, and heaved myself to my feet. Concentrating, I took a deep breath- and Changed back.

It stole the breath from my lungs, and as my vision and thoughts snapped into a clearer perspective, I heaved one in, realising how close I'd come to defeat. Shakily, I dragged my tshirt and what remained of my trousers- which had escaped shredding- across the floor and put it on.

Now, I could appreciate the fight properly. Devon had everything apart from teeth and claws on his side, but the struggle was still too close for my liking. I had to do something...what could I do? Nothing physical...but mental...yes.

I centred myself, took a deep breath again- no time to wait- and threw my consciousness across the clearing at Snake. My vision blurred, I was seeing double- Snake howled in fury and fear.

That was all the opening Devon needed. Bryn's silver knife was in his hand- and that was it.

I ducked my head, not wanting to hear the yelp that told me my one-time friend was gone. Grief blossomed across my chest despite everything, and I heaved a dry sob of grey despair.

It was over.

It was done.

"Katie?" If I'd had any energy left, I would have jumped. As it was, I drew in a quick breath to see him standing there. He hadn't escaped uninjured- half healed slashes ran up his arms, across his face and across his chest that must have been vicious when they were new. As it was, they were going to leave some serious scars.

He knelt down and touched my face gently. I hadn't realised I'd been crying until then. "Thanks for the help."

"Yeah." I mumbled, swiping a hand across my cheeks. They came away wet and bloodstained.

"You're a sight." He said, half-smiling. I looked down in surprise. There were cuts all over me that I hadn't noticed- my skin was practically stained red. There was a deep slash in my right leg- the blood that had been on the decks at Maddy's house had been mine, after all, not Devon's.

Woah.

"How are we even still alive?"

"No idea." He grinned. "The pack'll be here in a minute."

"I can't walk." I confessed.

"My little stubborn warrior." He knelt down and gently scooped me up, so I was lying across his arms like I had been after the first duel with Snake. I let him, this time.

"Look at you, Mr Bachelor."

"Look at _you, _Miss What's-the-Point-of-Love?"

"Me? No love? Never!"

He leaned forwards and gently brushed my lips. "I thought not."

Out of relief, happiness and giddiness, I threw my arms around his neck and kissed back back unashamedly.

Which is how, when the pack streamed into the clearing, they found us, gilded by the setting sun.


	12. The End

**Last one, guys. Hope you've enjoyed reading this story as much as I have writing it! I deliberately left some links so I could carry the story on if I wanted to. If I think of a good enough storyline, maybe I will! Thanks for everything, and all of the lovely reviews that people have left me. Bon voyage! :) **

"So, that was some pretty impressive fighting you did when I was out of it." Bryn said lightly.

I grinned at her. "Did I do you proud?"

"Of course you did. You always do." She smiled back fondly, and a warm glow of happiness kindled inside me.

Me, Alex, Lily, Devon, Lake, Bryn and Chase were sitting in the meeting house; the same place that all of this had started. All of us were clutching hot, steaming cups of coffee, which was bliss in the biting autumn/winter chill, and all of us were gathered for the final- well, debrief, if you will- before putting another file in the Successfully Accomplished Missions section of our minds.

After the pack had come for us, around a week ago, things had happened very quickly. I'd practically fainted on the way back home, and once delivered to my bed, had slept like the proverbial log for about three days solid. Now, a week later, the silver's poison had all but vanished from my body- though my ears were still sore, and extremely scarred. I still had a faint silver sheen over my irises from that (which I kind of liked) but with time, Chase, Mr. Medicine, had said that that would go as well. After that, we'd been so busy with extra patrols, moving the Stone River camp back to their original position, getting rid of the body of the traitor Snake, helping Maddy recover, etcetera, etcetera that this had been the only time we'd managed to snatch- at about ten thirty, just before night patrols started. The important thing was, though, that we were all safe, and (relatively) unhurt. The only bad thing was that Jaimes had vanished after the fight with Devon; obviously, he hadn't been _that _badly hurt. He'd be lurking in the shadows for the rest of our lives, but Bryn thought that alone, he wouldn't pose a serious threat. We'd just have to keep a close eye on Snake Bend for the time being in case Shay tried anything nasty.

But that was a matter for later. Now, we were just enjoying being alive, and knowing that the pack was safe, and stronger than ever.

"Well, I fought like a boss." Devon said loudly, waggling his eyebrows at the hurt. And then- "No, no Katie, don't hit me, _don't hit me_!"

He pulled up his shirt (I tried not to stare) to reveal the thick bandages still wrapped around his torso from the fights with Jaimes and Snake. "See? Respect the injured veteran, if you will."

I pretended to think. "How much respect are you asking for?"

A wicked smile was his response, and he leaned closer until we were almost nose to nose. "I don't know. A kiss? Here?- or here?- or perhaps..."

"Stop, stop!" Alex pleaded, throwing up his hands _just _as Devon's lips brushed my collarbone. I frowned in irritation. "Don't leave us all mentally scarred, please!"

"Talk about it." Bryn muttered. "I can't believe I didn't see this coming. I mean...my sister and my best friend? Ugh!"

"Shut it, Bronwen." Devon stuck his tongue out at her, and wrapped an arm around me from where we sat on the old, squashed sofa. His smell- coffee and cool earth- enveloped me. I bit my lip on my smile, but it leaked out anyway.

"You can't talk, Al. You're currently going steady with _my _best friend."

Lily flushed a delicate scarlet to match her curls.

"_Anyway." _ Lake said quickly, putting her endlessly long legs onto the table and leaning back in her chair nonchalantly. She took a thin blade from her pocket and began flipping it aimlessly through the air. "I wasn't here for half of this epic. Katie, tell me everything. Matilda and I can't _believe_ we missed out!"  
So, for the first time, I told them all everything I could think of to say. The earrings, Snake, illness, the journey to Stone River, the Challenge...everything.

After I'd finished, there was a long silence.

"I didn't know you were Wolf-Sighted." Lily said finally. I looked up at her; she looked away, disappointment radiating from her. I heaved a sigh- I'd have to talk about it more later- and sent her a mental blip of apology.

"I'm sorry, Lil. I don't really like telling people about it. It's a bit...well, private."

"Do you reckon it's got anything to do with what you did to Snake in the fight? You know, the blind thing?" Lake butted in, sounded extremely interested.

I shrugged.

Everybody looked at Chase, who was by far the most academic of the group.

"Maybe." He said lightly. "If Katie puts her consciousness into somebody else's head- who doesn't have Wolf Sight- then it could be enough to overload their sight. It's only a guess, though."

"Sounds intelligent enough to be true. Katie, you are now a superhero!" Devon declared, sweeping his hand through the air. "Solve mysteries. Fight crime. You know, do the superhero stuff."

"I already do that." I said happily. "Can I be called WonderWolf?"

"How about Silver Sorcerer? Or the Groovy Greymeister?" Everyone groaned at the last one, and Devon held up his hands in apology. "Hey! Blame my brain, okay?"

"How's Maddy?" I asked the group at large. Bryn stilled, her finger drawing slow spirals in her cooling coffee and her mahogany hair shielding her face from view. Chase put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"We...had a look at her. She was..." she swallowed hard "...she was really weak. Plus the wounds...Mitch gave it a 'maybe'."

There was a small silence in the hut as everyone thought of Maddy. I sent Bryn a mental hug, cursing my stupidity. She hadn't seen Maddy for sixteen years, had spent the whole time blaming herself for Lucas' death, and the first time she does meet her she's injured and close to death! Clever, Katie!  
"It's okay." She said, flashing everyone a small smile as she registered my mental discomfort. "I...er...offered her a place at Cedar Ridge if she ever...recovers. We can offer her protection from Jaimes that she wouldn't have otherwise."

"Did she say yes?" Lily asked eagerly.

A flash of grin flitted across Bryn's face. "Yeah, she did. As in, she's stay here for a while, and be free to travel whenever she wants to. But I think we can deal with that."

Lily punched the air celebratorily, bouncy as a rubber ball. "Yesss!"

The atmosphere in the cabin rose like bubbles in a champagne bottle, as we all contemplated the rosy future of Cedar Ridge.

Until Bryn spoke up again.

"Katie, Callum wants me to tell you that he's extremely grateful for all everything that you've done for Stone River. He says that any time you want to join Stone River..." She left the words hanging there. I stared at her, appalled.

"You were joking, weren't you?"

"Yes." She conceded. "I was."

"Good. Because I would never, ever, ever, _ever _join Stone River. No offence to Callum, but being in the same pack as Casey would be my personal hell on earth."

"Just as well, because Casey is fuming that you left him in the lurch last week when you came back from Maddy's cottage. I don't think he's going to be rolling out the welcome wagon any time soon." Bryn shrugged.

I followed suit. "Mitch is my father, not Casey."

"Sweet. Same for me." She grinned. "And now, folks, it's time for evening patrols. Who's patrolling tonight, Chase, darling?"

Chase darling answered in his usual way: monotone, quiet. "Eric, Lily, Lake¸ Mitch, Alex."

"Good stuff. To it, pack!"

"See you, then."  
"Yup."  
"Whatever you say, Alpha-Goddess Bryn."

I levered myself out of the couch- I'd sunk about thirty centimetres into it during the conversation- and walked out of the hut to where Alex was standing, alone for once, his breath painting fog across the twinkling night sky.

_How's it going, Al?  
Good, good. _

We breathed out together, the cold like a knife in our lungs, sharing minds- sharing bonds- like we'd done so many times before, growing up. I smiled ruefully; whatever he did, he'd still remain my brother, still the same cautious, caring Alex, but now we were going our different ways.

"You on patrol tonight?"

He smiled into the night- I recognised that particular expression as his lovestruck goofy-grin. "Yeah...with Lil."  
"You really like her, don't you?" That was a statement really, not a question, and I was unsurprised when he nodded. "A lot, yeah."

_Well, then. _I punched him on the shoulder- not too hard, though he winced. _Go out and get her. _

_Love you, KitKat._

_Love you, too, you ninny. _

He leaned in for a swift hug- I breathed in lemon and pine- and then disappeared like a flash into the night. I listened to the light pitter-patter of his footsteps until they disappeared, and breathed out slowly into the night, listening to the breath rushing in my ears like the sea. All was still, peaceful.

"Boo!"  
"Holy-" I lashed out, grabbing behind me and spinning around, using my momentum to slam the attacker into the hut wall. When my breathing had calmed down enough, I saw Devon laughing down at me.

"Over-reacting much?"

"Well...you could be Jaimes. Or a serial...something. Who wants to attack me for my good looks."

"If anyone attacks anyone for their good looks, darling, I'll be the victim."

"Quiet, Bachelor Big-Head!"  
"_Bachelor?! _Right! I'll show you bachelor, Miss Bachelorette!"

The next thing I knew, my legs had flown out from underneath me and he was holding me in the lift I'd rather become accustomed to. The embarrassment! I pounded his shoulder. "Let me go, or I swear to God you'll regret it!"

"God'll have to wait. Come on."

And he started jogging towards the forest.

About five minutes later (I'd given up fighting by this point!), we were at the place where the tree line kissed the edge of the lake. A waxing moon hung above the surface of the water and in it, tugging my blood with need to shift, to run, to race. It'd be full soon, and then I wouldn't be able to resist the urge. The stars sprinkled around were clear points of light in the black sky.

At that point, I was unceremoniously dumped in a pile of spongy pine needles. My swearing probably would have woken up the entire camp if I hadn't been planted face down. Struggling upwards onto my bum, I spat a couple of needles out of my mouth and smirked at him.

"Is that the best you've got?"

"Nope."

He flumped down next to me and leaned against my shoulder, ignoring my heart kicking its beating up a notch. Together, we stared out across the calm surface of the lake, shimmering grey- or, okay, _blue_- in the silver light. It was perfectly still; perfectly peaceful.

"You know, this time a month ago, I didn't think I'd fall for the sister of my alpha, who couldn't tell blue from grey."

Adrenaline thrilled through me. "I thought the same vis-à-vis a wisecracking guy who wanted to be a furniture salesman when he was younger."  
He smiled. "You're not gonna let me forget that, are you?"

"I'll tell you every time I beat you in a fight."

"You fight dirty."  
"I wouldn't win otherwise."

"Well, you've won one fight already." He leaned forwards and raised an eyebrow.

I moved in this time and kissed him, his mouth soft against mine.

And in that moment, even though there was a Rogue Were who had a grudge against us, a pack that needed protecting, a strange and scary gift that I'd have to learn to deal with-and a crazy, dysfunctional pack that I would die for-to contend with, I wouldn't have changed places with anyone for the world.

Why would I?

We'd just face it together.


End file.
